Tangled
by jin0uga
Summary: The universe will always conspire to make two halves whole. No matter how much you fight against it, if it is to be, it will. Jaune/Weiss. Mostly canon compliant. Spoilers for Volume 6. [Complete] *Thanks for the reviews, anons. Especially YEET guest*
1. Chapter 1: Arc

_Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY._

* * *

 **Arc**

* * *

His gaze locked on her petite figure. She was stunning and gorgeous in her prom dress, a snow sprite fresh from a book of fairy-tales, gracing the ballroom with her otherworldly presence. His trembling hands adjusted his bowtie, made it slick with sweat.

Jaune's breath hitched as Weiss gave the room a once over. _Look at me. I'm here._

Her gaze raked over the crowd of rowdy teenagers before she turned back to her date. Jaune scratched his head, perplexed. She had completely passed over him. Disappointment stung like a slap to a cheek, and he turned away. He fiddled his bow, tapped his feet, watched happy couples tangle their limbs on the dancefloor, before he inevitably pivoted back in her direction.

His father said attraction was difficult to explain, and Jaune couldn't agree more. Weiss didn't care for him despite the flowers, poetry, and countless offers to carry her books. On the other hand, Ren loaned her a pencil and had gotten a soft smile in return.

Weiss loved her team and got along swimmingly with his, which meant it was _him_ she had a problem with. Jaune scratched his head. A tiny voice nagged that she was only nice to people she deemed worthy, and he swiftly butted it away.

 _No negative thoughts! Be confident and women will come_ , his father always preached.

Speaking of his old man … why had none of his advice worked? His father was the family seer, possessing an uncanny power of foresight. First, he'd told Jaune he wouldn't amount to anything. This proved accurate when after graduation, his sisters moved on to better things, while he moped around the house eating Pumpkin Pete's straight from the box.

The next damning prediction was Jaune's failure to make it as a Hunter. Jaune hadn't believed it, not entirely. Lack of formal training aside, he wanted it bad enough he was willing to ditch common sense to attend Beacon's initiation.

Funnily enough, creating false paper trails had been taught by the previous school's janitor. The man loved a good berry pie, and years of free food had carved a sweet spot in his heart for Jaune. When he wasn't obsessing over the latest comic, Jaune found himself in the janitor's closet, crafting forgeries not even Atlas' finest could detect.

 _Ugh, now's not the time to think about that,_ Jaune berated, shifting his thoughts back to Weiss.

Just why had she run to Neptune? Jaune had been confident and assured and the epitome of gentlemanliness when courting her. Even his invitation to the dance, a heart rending serenade he'd written!

Sure, the boy was good looking, suave and effortlessly cool. But, Jaune knew. He knew there could only be hot air under the blue coif and leather straps, because why else would the boy still be single?

"Jaune? Hellooo?" Ruby called, waving her hand inches from face. "Are you okay? You've been making scary faces the past five minutes. Wait, don't tell me." She looked at her cup, "Someone spiked the punch."

"Nah, nothing like that." He assured, "I was just … admiring the disco ball." It threw brightly coloured spots around the room as it spun, and Jaune nodded at it. "Yep, it's impressive alright."

"Eh, it could've been better if Weiss let me add a couple of things. Like a glitter gun. Imagine if you could dance under a rain of sparkly stuff! That would be awesome." Ruby shrugged and tipped her head back, downed the rest of her drink in a single breath. A wide smile spread across her face as she smacked her lips. "Woah, this tastes amazing. Peach and grape?"

"Didn't Yang say it had strawberries?" Jaune replied, laughing.

"No wonder it's delicious. Thank you, Yang." Ruby cheered as she gave an imaginary fist pump to her sister standing on the fringes of the dancefloor. "Are you gonna drink that, Jaune?"

"Stay away from my cup, Ruby." He said, holding it away from his puppy-eyed friend. "Besides. You can't stand here all night just drinking this. How about asking someone for a dance?"

She groaned, rocking on her heels. "Jaune. Socially awkward, remember? And in these lady stilts? No way." Then she winked. "I noticed Pyrrha looking hopeful, earlier. Why not asking her to dance?"

"Come on, Ruby, I'm not delusional." Jaune scoffed, shaking his head. Pyrrha Nikos wanting to dance with him? He'd have more luck getting Cardin to apologize. "Half the guys here would kill to be her date, I'm pretty sure someone already asked."

Jaune swept his eyes back to Weiss. He watched as she offered her hand to Neptune and gestured towards the dance floor. When the blue haired idiot shook his head, giving Weiss an apologetic grimace, Jaune's hands curled into fists. He straightened his shoulders and looked for a place to put down his drink. He'd show Weiss a good time if Neptune couldn't.

"Remnant to Jaune!" He wheezed when Ruby elbowed him in the gut. Dust, her elbows were like knives. "I just saw Pyrrha running off somewhere. Is she feeling okay? Do you think the music's too loud, or that she's tired from dancing? I hope she's alright." Ruby babbled.

He looked where she pointed and caught a flash of crimson, the tail of an outrageously long gown flickering in mid-air. It disappeared when she stepped through the double doors, and it left him wondering if he'd seen a ghost. "She left? But the ball's barely even started."

"I dunno, but you better ask. I would go, but Yang wants to take photos before I throw out these stupid heels." Ruby groaned, "C'mon, I'll hold your punch." She snatched his cup and slurped at his drink, but everything faded quickly into the background when he glanced, once more, at Weiss.

He could tell she was upset. Weiss looked despondent enough to wilt half the flowers in the room, but to Jaune's amazement, managed to retain an air of elegance as she continued chatting with a guilt-faced Neptune. Despite her strong front, he noticed her smile was strained at the edges, a fraying thread which would eventually snap.

His heart pounded, and he set a hesitant foot in her direction. A chance.

Ruby tugged the back of his tux and Jaune nearly slapped her hands away. "Hey the balcony's over there. Jaune, are you sure you're feeling okay?"

"R-Right, I knew that." He shook his head. "I knew that. Ruby, could you do me a favour? Stay and watch Weiss for me?"

"Er, sure?" Ruby cocked her head. "I'll catch her if trips on the rug or something."

Jaune nodded and turned, heading for the stairs that lead up and out of the ballroom. Just before he stepped out, he threw a final glance at the speck of white in the crowd. A thought clawed its way into his mind … that maybe, things were better this way.

His father had always been right. So why wouldn't his last prediction come true?

Jaune's heart twisted. _I'll always be alone._

* * *

Standing in the blacksmith's shop, Jaune tasted regret on his tongue as he held Pyrrha's heart in his hands.

Basking in the sunlight that spilled through cracks in the windows, her bronze circlet shimmered. Jaune gently lowered it to join the pile, Crocea Mors and his armour, to await judgement. They rested on the chipped counter, silent as graves, under the watchful eye of the blacksmith. Gloved fingers shifted abacus beads before he slapped a palm down, and held up his hand.

Jaune blanched at the price and reluctantly held out what was left of his savings. The tightly bundled lien was snatched from his palm and he fought not to grimace. The man gathered the pile into his barrelled arms and Jaune's resignation gradually faded, replaced by a numbness which slowly spread.

His body was heavy. He felt like he was being crushed, lungs mashed into paste as the feeling spread further and further. Consuming him.

The moment passed when a furnace roared to life, the crack and pop of red dust leaking through the workshop door the man had stepped through. The tension in the air dissipated like sound after a freshly plucked guitar string, and Jaune let out a relieved breath.

As he rubbed the material of his hoodie between his fingers, he hoped the job would be quick. The weather in Mistral was a constant cycle of searing hot and uncomfortably humid, and the team couldn't stop at the next stream no matter how much Nora begged. They had already wasted two hours at the last river they came across. Ruby had fallen in when she tried to refill her bottle, which lead to them jumping in to escape the heat.

Jaune's grin faded. It had been Ruby's idea to make use of Pyrrha's circlet. She had handed it over the night they met on Patch and watched with hooded eyes as he fiddled and stroked the final piece of the girl he was beginning to love.

Jaune could recall the days afterward, nights spent in never-ending visions of Grimm crawling out of the darkness to steal the circlet. Sometimes, it would be Ruby who creeped through his belongings, that she'd changed her mind and demanded it be returned to her. It was a horrid thought that bordered on insanity but Jaune couldn't help but be afraid.

 _It would never happen. Never. She knows how much Pyrrha means to me._ Those phrases looped in his head, over and over. Ruby would sooner hurt herself than anyone she considered a friend. She was his first friend, his bestfriend. The girl made of cookies and laughter and sunshine, who hated the thought of hurting anyone, even an enemy.

But Pyrrha had been Ruby's friend, too. Her confidant. Jaune had failed to step up as a leader at the beginning and Pyrrha led the team in his stead. He'd lost count of how many times they shared knowing looks and inside jokes, bonding over discussions about homework and leadership. Pyrrha wasn't Yang, but she had been something close to it.

And Ruby had watched her die.

Jaune treasured the circlet too much to share, even when he knew he should have. Ruby would wake up screaming in the middle of the night, calling Pyrrha's name like a broken record. Plagued by the memory of her failure. Insomnia was a steady presence during the first weeks into their journey, but only Ruby turned her sleepless nights into something positive.

When RNJR spotted the outline of the first town in the distance, Ruby stopped them for lunch and dragged him away. She presented sketches of his armour incorporating Pyrrha's circlet as beautiful trimmings, and Jaune had been shocked speechless.

"Ruby, we can't. We need to bring this to Pyrrha's parents." The idea was tempting, but he had to show that he could be selfless. His weak protests fell on deaf ears, and Ruby hadn't budged.

"No." Ruby said, folding her arms.

"I don't think it's a good idea," Jaune had protested, "You know Pyrrha would have wanted them to have this. Not me."

"Jaune. We _know_ shewould have wanted you to have it." Ruby was anything but a sixteen year old, all sharp edges and brooding anger. "A better gift for her parents is bringing her murderer to justice, and we'll do everything in our power make it happen."

Jaune shut his mouth. Ruby was strong, so very, very strong. Her team had split, her sister without an arm, and still she'd taken that first step forward.

She was a leader. She was everything he should have been.

"…Thank you." He whispered.

Ruby's face contorted in helpless fury, an emotion they were becoming familiar with. "It's my fault she died, and I even let Cinder escape. I don't deserve to be thanked." That night, he quietly sent his teammates to cheer her up. To make her laugh was the least Jaune could do, the only thing.

Now, standing in this tiny, dank room in a town so far from Beacon they were nothing but a blip on the map, Jaune wondered if receiving the circlet was a cosmic joke. Pyrrha's loss had affected everyone, but after hearing Ruby cry herself to sleep on some nights, seeing Ren raise a teacup in respect, watching Nora look at cereal boxes as snot dripped down her chin, he wasn't sure he deserved it.

But it had always been like this with her. Pyrrha constantly gave things he never deserved: her love, her trust, her confidence. Jaune took everything and wasted them, spilled them on the ground until the source had gone dry. All he could do, now, was get on his knees to lick up what was left.

Maybe it was why Weiss never looked at him. She'd known what he was from the start – a naïve fool with dreams of grandeur he couldn't back up.

Jaune didn't know how long he'd stood there, motionless, but the smith soon returned with his newly re-forged armour. Jaune received them with a word of thanks and glanced at the muted bronze gleaming under the blinding, afternoon sun.

"Hello again." He muttered, hands closing into fists.

* * *

Jaune shivered under the menacing gaze of the scorpion-tailed man. There was madness in his eyes, passion bordering on obsession, and Jaune suddenly wondered if this was what Weiss felt when he cornered her with poorly drafted pickup lines and sleazy smiles. His mouth turned down in disgust. It was little wonder she hadn't run him through with her rapier.

Tyrian circled them, cycling between vicious insults and playful taunts. Then he turned to Jaune and loosed a laugh that chilled his blood. "Interesting ... I recognize it, that look on your face, hehe, yes I do. Ah, to have your heart held in the pumping talons of _love_! A glorious feeling!"

Jaune steadied himself and tried to ignore how his sword trembled. Ruby and Qrow stepped forward with weapons bared. He watched in envy as Ruby's scythe uncurled into a razor winged vehicle of death while Qrow's creaked ominously like rusted gears.

Jaune's heart pounded in his ears. Tyrian was speaking again, his lips forming shapes, but there was nothing he could hear but the sound of his own pulse. He endured the needles in his feet and the roil of his stomach. He was used to fear – it was an old friend, always close, like a devil on his shoulder.

The battle ended in a stroke of bad luck, Qrow poisoned. But someone was watching over them for a full vial of anti-venom, inside a cabinet within an empty settlement, seemed too good to be true. Even Qrow was struck by the pure coincidence of it all.

Jaune had a feeling, though. As Ren coaxed Qrow into giving up his alcohol just in case it disrupted the medicine, he stared up at the relentlessly cloudy sky. When Ruby questioned his wry grin, all Jaune could say was, "We've got our very own guardian angel."

That night, they settled down for a nice dinner of ham and beans, Ren in no shape to cook after aura exhaustion. Nora took the reins, and edible canned beans transformed into monstrosities too disgusting to describe. They spent most of the next day flopping between bushes and their sleeping bags.

Their guardian angel was laughing her ass off, Jaune was sure.

* * *

The journey to Haven was arduous, but they made it somehow, in a miraculous feat of determination. It was shame they found a coward instead of one of the last guardians of humanity.

Leonhart might have been brave once, but age had robbed him of many things. Determination and common sense were grinded into fear and paranoia, and he'd ultimately succumbed to the very thing he'd sworn to defend against.

 _Tragedy_ , Jaune thought as he took in Oscar's still form standing over the mutilated corpse, _seems to follow us wherever we go_. He glanced at Ruby's uncle for a split second, the man's sordid explanation of his semblance resurfacing.

 _If only he…_

Jaune forced himself to stare at his feet, cheeks burning in shame. He had no right, because at least Qrow had succeeded in getting them to Haven. Jaune could only watch Weiss get stabbed after his failure to kill Cinder. Again. What else was new? He excelled at being the runner up, never the winner.

The only consolation was that Haven Academy hadn't been blown to bits. Adam Taurus, the surly faunus heading the bombing operation, had been stopped by an arriving group of hastily assembled Faunus. In Jaune's private opinion, Adam was halfway to crazy town and would've stopped if he'd tripped on a banana peel. The physical manifestation of it just came in the form of a pissed off cat faunus.

Blake's appearance was a pleasant surprise. Jaune only had time to give her a hearty pat on the shoulder before her team dogpiled her.

Jaune felt the knot in his chest undo itself as he watched Weiss laughing with her teammates. She wasn't dead. But it was a small consolation, she wouldn't have been injured if he'd gone against Cinder and won.

"Okay, enough with the hugs and kisses," Qrow called, touching his lightly singed hair. "Everyone who isn't legal to drink, find cover while the adults clear up this mess."

Yang raised her hand. "All Eighteen year olds. Ruby and Oscar are the only kids here."

"Hey, the legal age in Mistral is sixteen!" Ruby's indignant yell drew stares from around the compound. Jaune swore one of the faunus even snickered.

Qrow regarded the motley crew with a tired groan. "Oi, you there." He gestured at a faunus man Jaune vaguely recognized. "Ghira Belladonna, right?"

"Qrow Branwen, I presume." Jaune quaked when he realised he'd been staring at Blake's father. Wow, the resemblance was uncanny. And wait, Blake had parents? "I heard your niece took care of my daughter during her tenure at Beacon." Ghira shook Qrow's hand, grip firm. "I extend my thanks to you."

"Nah, the good parenting ain't me. Thank her mom, for that." Qrow said, smiling. "Anyway, could you help herd the kids back? Mistral police are going to swarm the area after all the ruckus we made. There's Leonhart's death to deal with, too. And where there's conflict …"

"… vultures will inevitably follow." Ghira nodded, expression grave. "I'll be sure to have my people escort them. Blake, honey." Jaune stifled a laugh. He'd gone from menacing leader to giant teddy bear in less than a second. "Why don't you go along with your friends? I think you have a lot of catching up to do."

"I'll stay and guard the premises!" Sun yelled, drawing an aggrieved sigh from the heavyset faunus.

Blake glanced at the grinning faces around her and grimaced. "Yes, Dad."

"Thanks Papa Belladonna!"

Jaune clapped his hands over Nora's mouth, sweating bullets. "No dad jokes if you want to live," he whispered urgently. Blake would murder them in their sleep. He slowly released his hold when he felt her pout. Ren stepped in to take over, shooting Blake an apologetic smile.

"Let's just go." Blake said, flatly.

* * *

Their heroic act resulted in two things. One was the endless flood of reporters swarming Haven twenty minutes after they were chased off the premises. Qrow had thoroughly interrogated by the crazed media, according to the emergency news report an hour later.

The second thing was that they were essentially placed under house arrest until the 'saving Haven' saga had blown over. Qrow wanted them to be safe than sorry, despite Ghira taking credit for everything, relic recovery not included.

After giving them strict instructions to "Stay and guard the house because you kids are a sight for sore eyes," he promptly disappeared, quoting 'victory drinks.' After what everyone went through, Jaune was surprised no one had offered to go with him. He was honestly glad for the anonymity, however. Public speaking was not in his repertoire.

Yang quickly followed up by suggesting a party, but since Qrow had confiscated their money, everyone agreed it would be better to rest.

Ren and Nora strong armed everyone into eating after taking over the kitchen. They would spend the rest of the night there, Jaune knew. Ren had been itching to experiment, and Nora was a good assistant when he was involved. No one wanted a repeat of the beans.

Oscar blacked out as soon as he hit the couch, his cane dumped in the umbrella stand. Blake and Yang slipped away to talk, no doubt about the robotic arm and disappearing act. Jaune could relate. Even after all that happened, the two were still partners. Ruby, on the other hand, was hellbent on taking care of Weiss.

 _Weiss…_

Jaune's stomach roiled. He'd been so close to losing her. The only good thing that came from her near death was his unlocked semblance. Ruby theorized it could amplify aura, including the ability to heal. Thus how he managed to save Weiss. The irony was not lost on Jaune, he could heal everyone's wounds but his own.

"Hey, you're up." Ruby greeted as she exited the room. "Why the grumpy face?

He frowned. "You didn't wake me. It's already dark out." When he checked the clock after his nap, he'd discovered it was nearly time for dinner.

"Heh, guilty." Ruby scratched her head. "Aw c'mon, don't pout. You looked tired. I didn't want to push after you kept watch for me last night."

"It wasn't a big deal. Now, since I just took a five hour nap, it's your turn to get some rest," he said, giving her a soft nudge. "Your team needs their leader. Preferably awake. Blake's been asking for you after she and Yang had a quick spar."

Ruby bit down a yawn as she waved him off. "Yeah, I know. I'll draw a bath and take a nap before Ren's done with the food, then find Blake. Gosh, I can't believe we saved Haven just yesterday. I feel old."

Jaune caught how her eyes glazed over, and shooed her down the stairway with a grin. Once she was gone, he allowed himself to sigh. He returned his gaze to the door separating him for Weiss, suddenly filled with apprehension.

He hoped Weiss was asleep, or at least drowsy from the medicine Ren pushed her to take. They hadn't talked since the fall of Beacon, and he wasn't the same easy-going guy who could dole out cringe worthy pickup lines and lighten the room with a laugh.

It was why he volunteered to watch her last night. He didn't want to find out how she would react to him. What would Weiss think? Say? Ruthlessly tear him down, because he'd let her get stabbed in the gut?

If only things were that easy. Taking a deep breath, he turned the knob and entered.

"Thank you."

He blanked. His mind had completely, utterly blanked. Weiss was leaning against the headboard, propped up by pillows. She was looking at him in way she hadn't before. She was looking at him like an equal, like how she looked at everyone else.

His throat bobbed. "I, er, wha?"

She rolled her eyes. That action was so Weiss that he gathered enough brainpower to move. He took a seat on the wicker chair diagonal from her bed, and gathered his courage. _Calm down, it's just Weiss. Don't do anything stupid_.

"Why the sudden thanks, snow angel?" he teased, emboldened by her wry smile.

"That is a dreadful nickname, and you know it."

Jaune folded his arms. "Huh. You liked it when Neptune used it." _No, that's stupid! Abort, abort!_

"Yes, well, things change. I've changed." Weiss said, her demeanour softening. "My stay at the Schnee Residence has made me more opposed to such terms of endearment. Let's just say I'd rather be stabbed again than return there."

Her hands hovered over her bandages. There was no longer any bleeding, but everyone agreed it would be better to be careful. Jaune caught the shadows in her eyes and scrambled to lighten the mood.

"Fancy ballrooms, expensive tea, handsome men." Jaune joked, "It can't be that bad."

"Trust me, Jaune." He found himself staring openly when she used his name. It sounded unfamiliar without the undertone of scorn, and he liked it. "What might sound fantastic on paper is often much different in reality. A den of vipers is all it was."

"I'm sorry I asked?" Jaune shrugged. "Hey, at least you're here now."

"Indeed." Weiss said, before her eyes slid shut.

Jaune was instantly flooded with relief. Their conversation hadn't gone badly, and he'd managed not to make a fool of himself. He plucked the book off the nearby dresser and flipped to the page he'd stopped on, getting comfortable. _Guess I was worried over nothing._

Jaune barely got past the first line before Weiss spoke up again. "I almost couldn't recognize you. Everyone is different in some way or another, but you seem to have changed the most."

"Is … is that a bad thing?"

"Of course not. You seem calmer, more confident." Weiss rolled her eyes when he brightened, much like an overeager pup. "Much more tolerable than before."

"Yikes, was I that terrible?"

"Not terrible, just irritating." Weiss laughed when he plastered an affronted look across his face. "I know I've been hard on you. I hope we can move past that. I did consider you a friend, even if I didn't act like it."

A phantom hand grasped Jaune's heart. "Of course," he answered honestly. "Friends?"

"Friends."

"Your first job as Jaune's friend is to compliment on his dashing appearance." Jaune teased, laughing when she groaned. Now he knew why Yang heckled her so often. It was fun, plain and simple. Weiss shook her head. "This is childish," she said. "But fine. I'll play along, as long as you get Ruby to return the books she stole."

"Stole? That's a little harsh." Jaune hid his smirk. Ruby had stashed her suitcase full of textbooks for good reason. Even when she was no longer heiress, Weiss was still a recovering workaholic. "I promise to try. Ruby's stubborn, though, so she might not hand them over."

"I'll be grateful for just _one_ ," she stressed. "I can hardly imagine how all of you survived the hike from Patch without dying of boredom. There's nothing but boring pamphlets and bargin bin filth." She jerked her head at the book he was holding.

Jaune gasped and jabbed the cover. "This is the fourth edition on the history of comics, and it's limited edition!" Weiss made a shrugging motion with her hands. "One day, Weiss, you'll understand how great comics can be."

"I shall rue the day when it comes. Are you quite done mooning over your book? I recall that you've asked me to compliment you." Jaune set down his precious book, careful to avoid crinkling the spine further, and stood. Arms outstretched, he spun in a circle under Weiss' critical eye.

 _What am I doing?_ His mind wailed.

"Wonderful." Weiss deadpanned. "Your dance makes the angels weep."

"I'm not dancing! Okay, look at these shoes. They look great don't they?" Jaune showed them off, laughing when Weiss covered her face with her hands. "It makes me look taller by one or two inches, at least."

"Yes, I can see that. Your hair is getting absurdly long as well." Weiss noted. "And? What would you like me to say?"

"Aw, Weiss, don't you think I'm dashing?" Jaune teased. He pretended to flex his arms. "Don't hold back. What do you think?" His panic spiked at the expressionless look on her face. Had he gone too far? Jaune wanted to kick himself, he wasn't supposed to make her uncomfortable.

Weiss pinned him with a quiet, weighty stare. Her eyes moved from his arms, to his chest, then to the sash at his waist. "Something like that," she finally said.

"Oh. Uh. Yeah. That's, good, I guess." Jaune rubbed his arms. It felt like he was naked, his inner demons crawling out of his orifices to present themselves at her feet. He was supposed to have grown in the months he hadn't seen her, but a single look had almost unravelled him.

It was as if he was standing under the shadow of Beacon Academy's spiralling towers again, dumbstruck by the gorgeous girl with a mountain of suitcases. Jaune recalled how he chased after the untouchable Ice Queen while his partner pined after him like a lovesick –

"Do you want some water?" He shot to his feet, tried to disguise the quiver in his voice. Weiss nodded, and he quickly strode towards the door. "Cool, I'll get you some. Be right back."

Jaune felt her eyes burning holes in his back as he escaped. He practically tossed himself down the stairs and burned a streak in the carpet in his rush to the kitchen. He flung open the fridge doors and grabbed the nearest bottle. It was chilled. He uncapped it, gulped it down and nearly choked. The rush of liquid calmed his stomach but failed to distract him.

He set the bottle on the counter and pressed his forehead against the refrigerator. The coldness that seeped into his skin did nothing to chase the warmth left by her lingering gaze. He could hear Ren and Nora in the living room, laughing with Oscar.

A face flashed in his mind, auburn hair trailing in the wind. He smacked his palm against the door, eyes burning. "Idiot." He muttered, "I'm such an idiot."

After everything he'd gone through, why wasn't his stupid crush on Weiss going away?

* * *

 _ **AN:**_ _I think I've been possessed by my muse. I can't stop writing this story. It's really fun to figure out how to get Jaune and Weiss together, considering how repelled she was in the first few volumes. This is going to get weird and crazy, so be prepared, I guess?_

 _I hope you enjoyed this. Leave a review and let me know what you think._

 _Edit: I rewrote parts the chapter I thought could be better. Also, the next update will be on 20th Jan. I'm way too excited for the next chapter, and didn't want to be a dick. I'm very surprised by the reception of the story, though! Thanks for reading guys._


	2. Chapter 2: Schnee

**Schnee**

* * *

The tension in the air made it hard to breathe, and Weiss discreetly flicked her eyes to the girl at the other end of the table. Pyrrha speared Weiss with a glare, the constant rhythm of her pencil filling the silence.

 _Tap, tap, tap._

Weiss almost bit her tongue when the lead of Pyrrha's pencil snapped. She discreetly wiped her palms on her skirt, lowered her eyes to the line of text left incomplete and continued writing. She felt sweat gather on her brow, goose pimples erupt on the skin of her bare arms. Weiss resisted the urge to look up. There was no sanctuary to be found in the maddening stare.

 _What did I do to deserve this? Was it a mistake choosing Beacon over Atlas academy?_

Weiss shuffled her papers and busied herself further. She flipped a page and continued filling her notebook. Her ballpoint pen swam breezily over the lined paper, a cursive 'S' here, a dark blot of ink for a period there.

Ten years of etiquette lessons had prepared Weiss to remain poised in the face of obstacles, but the current situation was beyond anything she could have imagined. Why was she on guard against someone she genuinely admired? Weiss wanted to wail at the unfairness of it all.

It was bad enough Pyrrha was assigned to a different team, while hers was led by a _child_ , but to be regarded with hostility for no apparent reason? If Weiss had invited Pyrrha to join her the moment she'd arrived, none of this would have happened. Unfortunately, Weiss' wit and higher brain power were as useless as gold dust when tested against the brilliant and prodigious star pupil of Sanctum. It seemed impossible now to strike up a pleasant conversation in hopes of smiting the bad air between them.

Her pen ran out of ink as she reached the last line, and Weiss almost hurled it against the bookshelf. She glanced at her bag of stationary in front of her. Weiss brushed a strand of hair over her shoulder and casually picked out another pen.

To Weiss' dismay, Pyrrha never so much as blinked. Weiss imagined steam rising off her marbled skin as she slowly charred black under the fiery gaze. Putting the finishing touches to her last rites, Weiss decided to make her move.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were plotting to murder me," she said. If Winter was the edge of a blade, Weiss would be the head of a hammer. An apt description, for her words shattered the silence like glass.

"I'm sorry." Pyrrha's eyes darted away. "I merely wanted to observe you, it wasn't my intention to make you upset." Pyrrha always talked in a soft, lilting voice reminiscent of a spool of silk. It made the current bite in her words easy to pick out.

Weiss nodded, trying to keep the disbelief off her face. "I am open to questions, if you have any," she said.

"Ah." Pyrrha worked her jaw and looked down at her book. For the first time that afternoon, she seemed to be at a loss. Weiss finally relaxed as she took in the Pyrrha's flustered demeanor. "I don't. Have any questions, I mean."

Weiss abandoned her previous line of questioning and moved to a safer topic. Ruby must be rubbing off her. "Seeing as we're both here, would you like to study together?" Weiss asked, "Professor Goodwitch's assignment on the recent passing of new Hunter regulations would benefit from discussion. We aren't Sanus natives, so remembering them will take more effort."

Pyrrha smiled, visibly relieved. "That would be divine."

"Good." Weiss said. The conversation had produced the intended effect. Pyrrha had stopped glaring and seemed open to talk. The air felt lighter, and Weiss relaxed further. She hadn't worried after all.

Her hopes were promptly shattered when Pyrrha added, "I'll go get Jaune. Three minds are better than one." A simpering smile stretched across Pyrrha's face. "Mind if I run to get him?"

Weiss' eyebrow twitched. She'd fended off the obnoxious clout on the way here, only getting him to leave after she threatened to stab him with her heel. She prayed for patience and thought carefully about her answer.

"Pyrrha, I'd honestly prefer to study without the blond fool yapping at us."

Pyrrha's back straightened. "What are you trying to say?"

"Jaune barely understands basic Dust theory, I don't see why he would be any better at Hunter laws and regulations. It's a ten credit module, Pyrrha, and we'd be better off without him."

Weiss refused to sit through a study session of cringe worthy attempts at male suaveness. It'd happened when she'd studied with him and Ruby a week ago, and the mere thought sent her blood pressure spiking. Weiss had her fill of obnoxious men from yearly Schnee Company dinners.

"You know what I think, Weiss?" Pyrrha's outburst made Weiss reel back. "Jaune is too good for you. You put him down at every turn, belittling him for things out of his control. What right do you have to judge him? I don't understand what he sees in you."

"Perhaps if he learns to take 'no' for an answer, I would consider treating him with the dignity and self-respect he lacks." Weiss shot back.

"The only person lacking those things is you, Weiss." Pyrrha pinned her with a self-righteous glower Weiss wanted to smack off her face. "Jaune has been nothing but kind and helpful. He tries so hard to get to know you. The least you could do is offer basic courtesies. "

"I never asked to be flirted with and hounded at every turn." Weiss said, "I'm simply not interested in pursuing a romantic relationship. Even if I was, Jaune would never be a possible candidate. My father would never allow it."

Putting aside the repercussions of marrying someone who lacked any sort of credentials, skills, and status, the world Weiss grew up in would strip the flesh from his bones, suck the blood from his marrow.

Jaune reminded her of Ruby, in the loosest of comparisons. Her partner was optimistic and naïve, but she was kind, and so was he. Their sympathetic nature would see them mocked and taken advantage of until there was nothing left but emptiness and regret. Weiss would never wish that life on anyone.

Pyrrha scoffed. "Yes, I'm sure your father only wants the best for his daughter," she drawled. "Take my advice, Weiss. If you choose to isolate yourself from good people, no one will stand by you when you truly need it." The last line shriveled the budding camaraderie in the air.

"Oh? And I suppose I should take advice from the girl who pines after a boy she barely knows? A boy who stumbles over his feet when a female bats her eyes in his general direction? Yes, I think taking advice from a lovestruck fool not capable of critical thinking would be _perfect_!"

The metal clip on Weiss' pen shivered. Her scroll rose into the air, then fell back down, where it hit the table with a loud rattle. Weiss shut her notebook. "Jaune does not know me. Neither do you. I would suggest taking a step back before accusing me of whatever it is you think I did. I refuse to associate with him, it is suitable payback for ignoring my own feelings on the matter."

Pyrrha said nothing. The heavy orange glow of the setting sun filtered through the skylight, throwing shadows throughout the library. Weiss shook her head, indignant. "I suppose it's true that one should never meet their heroes." She gathered her things and stood to leave.

She turned back to the girl she would have liked to call a friend, but naivety helped no one, not even a Schnee. "If you would like to conversate about any subject not pertaining to _him,_ you know how to find me." Weiss said, turning to leave. There was nothing else she could do, but mourn the loss of a friendship that could have been.

* * *

As the blonde buffoon fled with his guitar, taking the stench of embarrassment with him, Weiss stomped hard enough that the tip of her heel broke. The chorus of laughter died. Yang, who normally delighted in provoking outlandish reactions, even seemed shocked at her outburst. Ruby had her hood pulled down past her chin, and gently peeked out of it. She'd almost expected Weiss to explode and leave her guts splattered on the wall.

"Weiss …?" Blake ventured cautiously. She held up her book as like it were a warding talisman.

"I'm going for a walk." Weiss said, kicking off her heels for a pair of flats. She jabbed a finger at Ruby. "Don't follow me." Her partner wilted, and Weiss was afraid the younger girl would ignore her and tail her, anyway. A nod from Yang soothed those worries, and she left without looking over her shoulder.

The journey to Beacon's garden was quick. She traced the familiar route, going down a rarely used staircase past the old workshop gathering cobwebs, and she stepped into the cool night air, the moon overhead obscured by passing clouds.

The area was ringed by a multitude of different flowers, and the silver moonbeams lent them a gravitas that reminded her of the gardens back home. Weiss let her fingers dance across the head of a dainty gardenia. She stopped to smell a blooming rose. She brushed her palms against the stalks of a Camellia, and thought, _Beautiful_.

By the time she reached the wooden bench in the center of the garden, her mood had improved considerably. She sat on the bench, bent down to rub her ankle. Ugh. She'd put too much force on it. But her reaction had been appropriate and she had no regrets.

It was the only thing she felt she could do, excluding her overwhelming urge to freeze Jaune in a block of ice. In what universe did embarrassing a girl make them endear themselves to their suitors?

Letting her head rest on the back of the bench, Weiss soaked in the peaceful ambience. Water lapped against inside of the miniature fountain as insects thrilled softly in the background. There was a ripple of sound as a soft crackle of wood interrupted her fitful rest. Weiss pursed her lips as she turned her head to face the perpetrator.

"Sorry." Pyrrha said, looking abashed. "I didn't know this area was occupied."

"It's fine." Weiss pushed herself off the bench. "I suppose I've overstayed my welcome. Please, excuse me."

"Wait!" Pyrrha's yell made Weiss stop in her tracks. Frigid blue eyes drank in bunched shoulders, the grimace on Pyrrha's lips. "Wait … I want to talk."

Weiss wanted to be left alone. But the look in Pyrrha's eyes made her hesitant to turn down the offer. There was also a tiny, deeply hidden part of her, harboring a hope beyond reason, that Pyrrha had overcame the disease plaguing her emotions and wished to rekindle their friendship. Weiss caught that thought by the neck and squished it beneath her feet, but the seed had already been planted.

"Fine," she said. "We can talk." Weiss sat down, inching to the side when Pyrrha joined her.

They stared at anything but each other. It was Weiss who broke first, crushing the uncomfortable silence with all the subtlety of a jackhammer. It was her specialty, and she'd hate to fail at anything. "A talk requires both parties to engage in conversation. You don't seem to be forthcoming despite your request." Weiss said.

"I … I heard Jaune serenading you. From the other room. I'm sorry."

"Why are you apologizing? You're not responsible for his actions."

"I accused you of being harsh on him. I've come to realize he doesn't exactly make it easy for you. The letters in your weapon locker, nicknames, whispers in the classroom. If I didn't like him as much as I did, I'd probably go mad." Pyrrha admitted.

"His ridiculous notion that persistence will lead to eventual success should be discarded and left to rot." Weiss had never had a suitor more annoying. At least the rich ones could be fielded with subtle threats. Jaune's one track mind was … admirable, but misguided. "I simply do not understand what you see in him. His willingness to do right by people might score him points, but everything else is, how should I put it? Lacking."

Pyrrha's laugh was resigned. "I don't know where to start."

"It can't be that exhaustive of a list." Weiss picked a piece of flint off her frilled sleeve cuffs. "I'm sure the star pupil of Sanctum can come up with something."

"I guess the biggest draw would be his personality." Pyrrha began. Weiss nodded along, though from the look on her face, she obviously disagreed. "It's true. Not everyone is truly nice, even when they try to be. Ruby being an exception."

"Go on."

"I also admire his obliviousness. It might seem a fatal flaw to some, but I find it fascinating. He didn't recognize me despite eating Pumpkin Pete's for _years_."

Weiss scoffed. "I doubt he cared for the picture on the box as long as he got what was inside it."

"Exactly," Pyrrha clasped her hands, bringing them to her mouth. It failed to hide her grin. "He absconds everything in favor of getting what he desires. That frame of mind can be irritating when applied to the wrong thing, so all he needs is a firm, guiding hand. Someone who listens to him. He's making leaps of progress with his training, you know."

Weiss didn't know if she should laugh or cry. She settled for picking the thread in her skirt, watched the lace unravel into a bunched mess. "An awful lot of assumptions based on the fact he couldn't recognize you."

"I've spent more time with him more than anyone in Beacon." Pyrrha cut in. When one of Weiss' eyebrows rose to her hairline, Pyrrha forced herself to relax. "What I'm trying to get at is that people make mistakes, and Jaune is trying hard to correct his. I wish others thought the same … I wish I did." The cryptic afterthought gave Weiss pause.

"Say, Pyrrha. What's your purpose of becoming a Huntress?" Weiss asked.

Pyrrha bit her lip. "I wanted to make a difference."

"But why a Huntress, specifically? Your credentials and wealth, though not as time-tested as mine, could be put to better use than throwing your life away to battle Grimm. In the grand scheme of things, it would barely impact a life not in your immediate vicinity."

A moth fluttered by, attracted to the dazzling lights that spilled from the glass paneled windows of the castle. Then finally, Pyrrha said, "When everyone is special, no one will be."

"… I'm sorry?"

"Has anyone told you that you were destined for great things?" Pyrrha said.

"As heiress to the biggest Dust conglomerate on Remnant, yes, I believe so." It had been all anyone could talk about after Winter fled to the military. Weiss didn't have a choice in the matter. Her father preferred Whitley, but she was far too superior in business and the workings of dust to be overlooked. Not to mention she'd actually unlocked her semblance.

"My parents said I was special. My friends, too. Ex-friends." Pyrrha chuckled. "Once I unlocked my semblance and displayed my prowess in battle, my agents said the same, as did my legion of fans that packed stadiums to watch me. I never understood their blind faith."

"I believe the people of Mistral subscribe to the theory that great people are born, not made." Weiss said, "After all, your family has been around for generations. Generals, Hunters, famous soldiers."

"And how is that fair?" Pyrrha said, "Is my life to be endless pursuit of goals, milestones, trophies, when all I want … all I ever want, is to be normal? Why must I be forced to uphold a legacy I do not care for?"

"Invincible girl Nikos." Weiss murmured. "You hate the title?"

"I despise it." Pyrrha's eyes took on a softer gleam, like a dewdrop on the edge of a leaf. "Jaune doesn't care who I am or what I could be. To him, I'm Pyrrha and no one else. It's wonderful. If everything that made me who I am was stripped from me, his perception of me wouldn't change. Titles and accolades mean nothing if one is alone."

Weiss took in the other girl's profile framed by the silver glow of moonlight. "Ask him to the dance. Tell him how you feel." It seemed simple enough. Jaune would be delighted, flattered to receive the attention.

Pyrrha gave her a half-smile and said, "We'll see."

In that moment, Weiss couldn't help but think she looked impossibly sad. And when she attended the dance with Neptune that night, there was only Jaune. Pyrrha was nowhere to be seen.

Weiss only realized later in life that the gnawing absence of Pyrrha Nikos was one she would never get used to. And why would she? The thought had never crossed her mind. Weiss had truly believed there was no one on Remnant who could match the brilliance of the Invincible Girl.

Then came the White Fang. Grimm. Cinder. When the news of her death spread through cities and continents like wildfire, Weiss locked herself in her room to cry. Pyrrha had deserved the world. She'd deserved to be happy with Jaune.

Why had things come to this?

* * *

The atmosphere of the charity ball baffled Weiss. She looked around, noted the expensive hors d'oeuvres and the copious amount of wine circling the room. The attendees cared more for their stomachs and the elbows they could rub than the actual event.

Honor the memory of those who fell during the hideous attack on Beacon? Hah! These people wouldn't mourn their children if the funeral fell on the same day as a mandatory company event. This place sickened her. It made her feel rotten to the core.

She spotted Whitley and her Father smiling at the wine table and grimaced. Was she a terrible person for hating family so intensely she'd rather be in a room full of violent White Fang members?

 _Self-centered ponces_ , Weiss thought, not bothering to conceal her scowl. A potbellied man bellowed uproariously three tables down, no doubt one of her father's acquaintances. The ones who thought themselves superior always felt the need to flaunt their rights or riches more loudly than the other.

She'd lost count of how many of her father's business partners had approached her tonight, complimenting her voice and her outfit. The envious caws of 'Is that a Lue Voi original?' and the sleazy once over men twice her age gave when they thought she wasn't looking.

Weiss passed her glass of half empty wine to a server, sending him away with a shake of her head. If only Ruby were here. She would offer words of comfort in that child-like way of hers Weiss missed, truthful yet kind. Yang's uplifting sunniness and Blake's dry humor would also be a welcomed change of pace. She wanted to mingle with people, not sycophants.

Weiss approached the elaborate painting of Beacon Academy for auction. It was barred off with a thick, velvet rope. She gazed at it, wishing she'd never followed her Father on the airship. Her team was out there, undoubtedly searching for the perpetrator of the attack. Yet here she was, nibbling on cheese tarts and sipping Atlesian wine.

"That's a beautiful painting." A voice to her left said, "It's unfortunate the price is on the steep side. I'm not one to spend a fortune on useless objects."

"It's for charity," Weiss snapped, turning to look at the fool who dared spout such superficial tripe. She recognized him immediately. The eldest child of the Marigolds. Nouveau riche propelled into high society after discovering a vein of Dust several years back, responsible for the destruction of a fourth of Mistral's forested areas in the process.

Pyrrha had mentioned them before. They sponsored two of her tournaments, until news of their unwillingness to stop Faunus slave labor made the news. They would get along swimmingly with Jacques. The thought of Pyrrha turned Weiss' stomach, and she distanced herself from the thought.

"Can I help you?" Weiss frowned when the boy made no move to leave.

"Henry Marigold," He introduced with a smirk. If Yang was here, she'd have pretended to gag. "I wanted to tell compliment you on tonight's performance. It was simply marvelous, Weiss. Moved me to tears."

"You may address me as Schnee."

"You seem to like this painting. Did you study at Beacon, Weiss?" He continued, ignoring her. "What pushed you to choose that public funded circus over Atlas Academy? Their facilities are certainly not up to par, using decade old technology and outdated teaching methods. Holographic lectures should already be the norm."

Weiss regarded him with contempt. He dared start a conversation and belittle what she loved? Two could play at that game. "I certainly did, Tulip." She savored the twist of his lips, continued, "The lack of pompous highbrow individuals choosing to attend Beacon was partially why I decided on it. It proved a splendid choice. The lecturers and students are excellent."

"I-I see. But I'm sure you would have benefited greatly had you chosen Atlas. After all, that was where your Father learned his trade." Henry said. He raked a hand through his gelled hair, flashing his gold wristwatch. He smiled at her, as if silently asking 'what do you think?'

Weiss returned it with a cool stare. "I believe you're still attending Atlas Academy?" He called that a smile? It looked as if surgeons had physically pulled up the sides of his mouth and pinned them in place. Weiss trembled when a flash of blond hair, accompanied by a genuine smile came to mind. Why did she suddenly think of him?

He puffed his chest. "I am."

"No wonder! The resemblance between you and my Father is uncanny." Henry brightened at the compliment. "Why, you could almost be brothers, from your matching personalities down to the dreadful taste in schools." They weren't all that similar, but the boy's excessive eagerness to impress was certainly reminiscent.

When Henry frowned, Weiss steered the topic to safer waters. "Are you planning on joining the Military after graduation?"

He shrugged dismissively. "Fortunately, no. There are far too many soldiers and not enough businessmen. Becoming a battle hungry craven is the last thing I'd want."

And then they had inevitably come back to Beacon, and the situation had escalated. Weiss summoned a Grimm, scared the wig off a snobby woman with a too large mole, and found herself stripped of her heir status, all in a single night.

Contrary to tabloids, she wasn't beside herself with regret. No, it was more like a set of invisible shackles had been pried from her wrists, her body and soul infinitely lighter. Weiss was no longer _the_ Schnee, successor to the biggest dust conglomerate on Remnant.

Weiss wanted to scale the snowcapped mountains and shout to the heavens that she'd always hated her father's stupid mustache. It was simply how joyous she felt.

She'd gotten hold of her bearings soon enough and called Klein to discuss the possibility of leaving for Mistral, where Yang mentioned Ruby was headed.

"I'd thought you and Mister Marigold would get along." Klein told her, amidst the planning of her escape. "I recall your interest in the entrepreneurial types, and he had certainly fit the bill. A little scraggly, but they fill out in the end."

Weiss poured over the question, pausing to sip her tea. "I should hope my tastes matured. Besides, I've seen better."

Klein stroked his chin. "Such as?"

Weiss recalled Neptune's suave smile. His confident, flirtatious demeanour. It had made her swoon once. Now, the mere thought was enough to make her recoil. The passing of her eighteenth birthday had seen her father testing the waters with potential sons of large businesses, a bidding war to wed her off to the highest bidder. Neptune was a good guy, but he resembled the boys she'd met upon her return to Atlas far too much.

"I haven't the slightest idea." Weiss answered.

She glanced down at the letter she was writing for her sister, and recalled the time Jaune slipped handwritten poems in the pages of her notebook. It'd been filled with flowery lines of fate, divinity, how much she resembled snow sprites, and mushy explanations of how she set his heart on fire. It'd been amateurish mooning of a delusional boy, but one in particular managed to wrest a laugh from her.

' _My sisters love making snow angels._

 _I used to hate them,_

 _because the cold hurts._

 _But now I see,_

 _that the cold can warm,_

 _as well.'_

"Miss?" Klein prompted. "Is something the matter?"

Weiss' grin faded. "No, I simply recalled something amusing."

The man shot her a knowing smile. "Ah, young love." Weiss rolled her eyes and got back to work. He wouldn't believe her if she tried to explain herself. Fortunately, she knew herself better well, and Jaune was so far removed from her ideal lover he would be the last person she'd fall for.

 _Right?_

* * *

Her water rested on the top of the dresser, long forgotten. Weiss looked up from her book when Ruby entered, holding a tray. Weiss couldn't place the scent flooding the room, but knowing Ren's fondness for Mistralian cuisine, it was likely a soup based dish.

"The train of deliciousness has arrived," Ruby announced, setting the tray on Weiss' lap. "Pho with a side of spring rolls! Nora insisted on something fried to go with the noodles, and she might have overdone the stuffing. No spices, though."

"I should hope so. I would hate to throw this out," Weiss said, gazing at the meal with relish. She dipped the spoon into the soup and brought it to her lips. The taste of onion mixed well with ginger and parsley, and she found herself lifting the bowl for another mouthful. "Ren certainly knows his way around the kitchen."

"Ren's cooked ever since he was old enough to start a fire," Ruby said. "The trip's been more bearable thanks to him, and the one time we tried making a meal without him …" She shivered.

"I still cannot believe you four made it to Mistral on foot." Weiss said, "The monorail or airship would have been a better choice. You could have made it to Haven within the week."

Ruby shrugged. "Dad would have tracked us. There's one ship going from Patch to Vale, and even then, we need IDs to travel across continents. Not to mention the chaos Cinder caused ..." A dark look came over her face. "They wouldn't have sold tickets to minors, anyway. I wish you were there. We could have taken your private jet."

Weiss rolled her eyes. If only Ruby knew what she'd done to get to Mistral. She could no longer refer to Sun as the stowaway. At least his ride made it to his destination in one piece. "Your sense of humour is still the same, I see."

As she ate, Weiss noticed that Ruby's fidgeting becoming more pronounced. Her gut clenched instinctively. Things were never good when Ruby got restless.

"Sooo," Ruby started, "do you want to talk about what happened between you and Jaune?"

"I have no idea what you're referring to."

"Weiss, you can't fool me," Ruby said. "Jaune's been acting weird ever since he visited you. He was supposed to bring you dinner, but he practically forced me do it. He never breaks a pinkie promise, so whatever is on his mind, it's affecting him badly." She hooked her thumbs under her shirt. "Tell me what went down so we can fix it."

"I don't know." Weiss shrugged. "We talked, he got me a drink, and ever since then he's avoided even breathing in my direction." Weiss scraped the last bit of noodles from the bottom of the bowl. Ruby winced at the sound and said, "Weiss … are you upset?"

"I'm not." Weiss stabbed a spring roll with her fork. "Why should I be upset over that blonde buffoon?"

"Ooh, here come the insults. Another in three, two–"

"Be quiet, dolt," Weiss snapped. "My wound is just acting up. I am _not_ upset."

"Look, I promise anything you tell me stays between us. If you keep it bottled up, you'd just end up pulling a Blake." Ruby placed a hand on Weiss' shoulder, took the tray in the other. It was light, and even the plate had been picked clean. "I'll put this away. When I come back, we're going to talk about it."

Weiss sighed. Ruby was wearing _that_ look. One the team had gotten used to after an entire semester of forced bonding sessions. Ruby would not budge, not even if the moon was en route to obliterate Remnant. "Fine." She bit out.

"Relax, Weiss," Ruby soothed. "Just imagine it as ripping off a band aid." Her aura flared, semblance leaving a storm of rose petals which disintegrated in seconds. Weiss was almost afraid the door would be blown off its hinges.

When Ruby came back, she had a small basket of dinner rolls tucked under her arm. Weiss eyed the sesame seeds sprinkled over the golden surface and felt her stomach protesting. She was stuffed, but they looked awfully tempting. "Didn't you already have dinner?"

"High metabolism. Gotta love the side effects of my semblance." Ruby grinned. "Want one?"

"No, thank you. I don't want another tear in my dress." Weiss had packed a number of outfits, but it was thanks to Yang her suitcase hadn't been left to the bandits after their faint traipse through Anima. "Still, I wouldn't mind a small bite."

Ruby tore off a piece and handed it to her. _Delicious_ , Weiss thought as she chewed. Ren was truly a whiz in the kitchen. Once Ruby devoured the rest, she wiped her buttered fingers on her skirt, and looked at Weiss.

Weiss groaned and started to recount the conversation between her and Jaune. Ruby's silver eyes grew wider with each sentence, until she squeaked, "Weiss! That's _not_ nothing."

"I only complimented him. I can be nice on occasion." Weiss defended.

"Both of you stared at each other like they do in movies. Like Gin and Rose in _Ratanic_! Quick, show me how you did it," Ruby said. Weiss groaned, but proceeded to mimic the stare she'd given Jaune.

In her defense, he just seemed so different, so exotic, that she'd lost herself in the moment. By the time Weiss pulled away, Ruby's cheeks were strawberry red. "Weiss," Ruby said, awed. "You totally flirted with him. Yang showed me how to smolder, and it looked exactly like that. Like, wow. I'm burning up."

"I was observing him!" Weiss thumped her hands on the mattress. "Not flirting. I don't even know how to flirt."

"Another thing you're great at! No wonder he's messed up, Yang could barely speak after someone she liked shot her that look from across the room." Ruby gestured at the distance between them. "If they'd been this close, she would have combusted. Melted. Or both."

"Ruby. Stop. You're being absurd. I was simply showing my appreciation for how much he'd matured." Weiss said, then clapped her hand over her mouth.

 _Wait. What am I saying?!_

Showing her appreciation? Just what did she appreciate? That he wasn't hounding her like a desperate puppy? That he'd carried himself with more self-assurance, and had a defined musculature that drew Weiss' eyes no matter how much she tried not to stare?

Her head spun as a thousand different thoughts assaulted her brain. No. No way. This couldn't be happening. She couldn't be _attracted_ to Jaune. He was Ruby's friend, hers by association. Weiss was certain she was breaking all sorts of unspoken rules omnipresent in female friendships.

She tried to banish the thought, but it wouldn't let go. It sunk its claws in her, deep and painful and earnest. There would be no hiding from it. Weiss looked to Ruby, unaware of the helpless expression painted across her face. Ruby leaned forward to link their hands together, and the weight was comforting, but it did little to soothe the tangle of emotions in her chest.

"Weiss," Ruby said, proving once again her ability to cut to the heart of a matter. "I think you're starting to like him."


	3. Chapter 3: Bond pt 1

**Bond pt 1**

* * *

Jaune tuned out Nora's re-telling of last night's dream and ladled another helping of soup into his bowl. Her vivid descriptions of syrup, bears, cotton candy and crowns went unheard as he inhaled the aroma of miso, faint wispy tendrils diffusing into the air. The soup hit his tongue and his eyes fluttered shut. It tasted heavenly. Jaune gulped it down with a fervour absent these past three days.

Three whole days, crammed in the house. Three whole days with Weiss avoiding him at every turn, fleeing whenever he approached. He obsessed over her avoidance the first day, penned down a list of possible solutions on the second, but it was only yesterday that Ruby had come up to him with an explanation for Weiss' cold shoulder.

Jaune rubbed his chin. _Who knew Weiss was allergic to the smell of face cream?_ He had just barely stopped himself from slapping any on his face this morning. He hoped Weiss stopped disappearing on him because their friends were starting to notice. The last thing Jaune needed was Yang coming up with something excessively insane. He wouldn't put it past her to team up with Nora, and _that_ was truly terrifying to think about.

Fear brewed in his stomach. It was curdled by the warmth of the miso, and Jaune helped himself to two more servings before the feeling was overshadowed by contentment a full breakfast provided. "Thanks for the food, Ren." Jaune patted his stomach when his teammate turned to look.

"It was my pleasure. Nora, hands off the bread, you've already had five." Ren swatted at her hands as she lunged for the plate. "Those are for Ruby and her team."

"But I'm still hungry!" Nora whined. "Tell him, Jaune!"

"His food, his rules." Jaune chuckled when she slumped over her empty plate.

Ren quickly soothed her with head pats before she could kick the feet of the table. "How about pancakes for snack break this afternoon?" Ren asked with a patient smile. Nora perked up instantly, a wide grin spreading across her face. "How many would you like?"

"Ten!"

"Ten it is." Ren nodded. "I'll need to get more pancake mix. I believe we only have enough for half that amount." Nora gasped, her hands balling into fists.

"Only half?!"

Jaune perked up. "I can run to the grocer's and get some." He'd been meaning to explore the main city. With Leonhart and the impending attack on Haven, sightseeing had been the last thing on their minds. He'd wanted to venture into town numerous times, but Qrow had been adamant they stay in the house. It was only today the man had let them do as they please. "You cool with that, Ren?"

"Of course. Let me get my lien and–"

"What's a pancake mix between friends?" Jaune said, waving Ren's protests away. "Don't worry about it."

"Aw, you two are so cuteeee!" Nora leaped up and looped her arm around their shoulders, dragging them close. Jaune nearly choked she crushed them in a ferocious group hug. "N-Nora, a-air…" he gasped, slapping his hand on the table. She squeezed harder, and he imagined his head popping off his neck like a cork from a champagne bottle. "R-Ren–!"

Oscar walked in, sipping from his mug. He stopped when he took in the sight, Nora happily nuzzling two heads stuck in a chokehold, while the owners thumped the ground in a mimicry of a rabbit part-way to death by strangulation.

 _Um… Ozpin? Should I do something?_

When a brief chuckle was the only reply, the boy could only shake his head. Beacon must have been one hell of a school.

* * *

His neck felt unreasonably stiff as he waded through the thick of the crowd. The air was humid and he wanted desperately to wipe off the sweat gathering on his forehead. His mind whirled as noise lambasted him from all sides, stall owners yelling at the top of their voices, people chattering loud enough to reawaken the Grimmified Dragon atop Beacon tower.

Jaune held the bag of groceries against his chest, shielding it from writhing bodies. "Excuse me. Sorry, that's my foot you're standing on." He narrowly avoided being run over by a cart pulled by a buffalo – they were much bigger and smellier than the books said – transporting vegetables in brown, woven baskets.

In a daring feat, he threw himself out of the mass of people when he spotted the sign pointing in the direction of the house. "Oof, I feel like one of Blake's sardines …" he muttered, rubbing his shoulder. He shouldn't have gone out during breakfast.

Jaune inspected the contents of his bag, pleased to note the box of pancake mix hadn't dented. If there was one thing he couldn't stand, it was a dented box. Back when he ate Pumpkin Pete's like his life depended on it, he kept the boxes on display in the kitchen. Recalling the trophies of his grand endeavour to pump himself with sugar, Jaune's mouth curled into a tiny smile.

He missed his parents. All his obnoxious sisters, those bunch of hair pulling nuisances. Jaune sighed and started walking. _I'll have to remember to send letters before we leave … whenever that's going to be._

The house Qrow rented was smack in the middle of Mistral's second district. It had a name Jaune couldn't quite pronounce, and was one of the better, well-kept ones according to him. Qrow hadn't been happy about spending his lien, but the location made it easy to get to Haven without walking for hours.

Jaune looked up, past the tiled roofs to the faint outline of Haven Academy. Then he looked down at his hands, and held it up in the sunlight. The aura coating his hand shimmered. It rippled with each movement, like the surface of a pond disturbed by rain.

 _I never thought I'd live to see both my aura and semblance unlocked._ It felt like a lifetime of blood, sweat and tears, but it had only been a year and half since his enrolment at Beacon. _Six months since Pyrrha_ … Jaune shook his head and trudged on, unwilling to sacrifice his good mood. He'd gotten good at clamping down on his negative thoughts, partly with Ruby's help.

The house came into sight. Jaune approached the door and rapped his knuckles on the polished surface. "Guys, open up!" He waited. A minute passed, stretching into two. "Hellooo? I've got the pancake mix you wanted, Nora!" Jaune listened for the crash of Nora's footsteps and scratched his head when none came.

A number of absurd thoughts crossed his mind. A mass napping session? Training with earmuffs? They couldn't have left without him … no, that was silly. Nora had been promised pancakes.

Jaune caught several people from neighbouring houses watching him, and felt his shoulders slump. _Ugh, stop staring._ He knocked the door again, hoping someone, anyone, would open to the door so he could get away from their prying eyes.

"Oh!" Jaune smiled when he heard the clink of keys, and the soft whine of the door lock being turned. "Thanks a lot … Weiss?" His pulse quickened. Jaune felt his throat clamming up and fought not to tense up. It would've been a dead giveaway, given how observant Weiss was. "Um, thanks. Where's everyone? Did Ozpin call for a training session?"

Weiss sighed, stepping aside to let him in. "If only. The headmaster said and I shall quote, 'we need to discuss what our next plan of action will be.'" She gestured helplessly upstairs. "They piled into one of the rooms and have stayed there since."

"You didn't join them?"

"I was reading," Weiss huffed. "I realised what happened because Nora slammed the door hard enough to shake the house."

Jaune cocked his head. Barging in would be rude, and besides, his team would fill him in once Ozpin finished departing a fraction of his endless wisdom. "Oh. What do you think we're gonna do next?" He turned back to see Weiss still standing at the door, a wistful look on her face. "Weiss?"

"Is Mistral how it looks like in books?" she asked. At his confused stare, she explained, "This is my first time here. Yang and I arrived through a portal, if you recall. Does the city look exactly how it's portrayed in videos and photographs?"

"Some stuff isn't all that accurate, like the streets being filled with farmers hauling rice back and forth. There's plenty of carts pulled by horses and other animals, though. And food. Lots and lots of food." Jaune's stomach grumbled at the reminder.

"I've been wanting to check the place out, but Ruby won't let me out of her sight." Weiss said, frowning. "It's as if I'll break if I so much as climb the stairs without her help."

"She's just worried. We all are." Jaune looked away, glad his voice didn't crack.

"It was cute at first, but if she offers to help me get to the bathroom one more time, I might just freeze her in a block of ice." Weiss admitted. She looked out the door again, reluctant to shut it. "Who knows what she would do if I went off by myself."

Jaune couldn't help but laugh. "She'd have flyers up within minutes." The building tension in his body withered when Weiss rolled her eyes. He hadn't seen one of those in a while. She must be feeling better now that he wasn't wearing his peach scented face cream. "We could explore the city together. If you want to, I mean. We could send her a scroll message. She'd worry less when you're with me and my healing hands." He held his up hands and grinned when she scoffed.

Weiss looked at him, considering. "I suppose so. You're more familiar with the city than I am, and it'll be easier to get around without getting lost." Jaune nodded, and she continued. "If anything does happen, I have my glyphs and you, your semblance. Indeed, I should take this chance to explore."

 _Why does she sound like she's about to jump off a cliff?_ "We don't have to go if you don't want to, Weiss."

Weiss straightened. "Of course I do. I'm simply weighing the advantages of exploring in a pair." She stalked out of the house, heels clicking noisily, leaving Jaune behind. He chased after her, feeling uplifted and terrified at the same time. "Let's go."

 _We're just exploring the city as friends_ , he repeated to himself, _friends. Pals. Fellow teammates in the quest to save the world._

"Jaune, quit dawdling. And remember to lock the door."

"Right, right, I'm on it."

 _Friends doing friend stuff. Yep … we'll be fine._

He watched as a sudden breeze threaded through her hair, made Weiss look up with a hint of a smile on her lips. He swallowed. He would be fine. Probably. He wasn't the old him, he could do this. He would be the best damn friend Weiss ever had, bar her team. Resolution cemented, he sped up and kept pace beside her.

Weiss looked at him, one eyebrow raised. "I like your outfit," she said, slowly.

"Thanks. I like yours too. It's very flowy, I wouldn't mind wearing it."

When she stared back, gobsmacked, Jaune realised this wouldn't be as easy as he'd thought.

* * *

Weiss covered her mouth, shoulders trembling with laughter. Jaune gazed at her, embarrassed, as he returned the wide brimmed straw hat back to the stall owner. "What? I thought it looked cool," he said. Weiss nearly burst out laughing. "Come on, it's not that bad."

"What would you like me to say? Yes Jaune, wearing a straw hat while in hoodie and sneakers is a brilliant idea." Weiss looked him up and down. When her eyes lingered on his broad shoulders and dopey smile, she snapped it toward his eyebrows. Friends didn't ogle each other. "Still, it's your lien. You should do what you want with it."

He grinned. "One hat for her, please." He told the stall owner, handing over ten lien. The bearded man passed him smaller straw hat, to which Jaune placed it on Weiss' head. Her eye twitched. "Hey, you look great."

"Spare me."

"You can give it to Ruby as an apology," he suggested. He thanked the man and started walking, taking long strides which put him directly at the next stall. "Oh, Weiss, look! Rice dumplings. Want one?"

 _It's like I'm watching a child explore his new home for the first time_ , Weiss thought. She watched him stuff his mouth and groaned. "No, Jaune. I'm still full from the roasted corn we ate five stalls ago." She gave him a pointed look. "Didn't you already have breakfast? Why are you eating so much?"

"Imph hgry," was his only reply. His cheeks were stuffed with food, and it reminded Weiss of a chipmunk. He swallowed, throwing the leaf wrappings in a trash bag just beside the stall. He licked the rice stuck to his fingers, and Weiss cursed her traitorous eyes as they followed the pink slip of tongue. "Phew, that was delicious. I'm full, for real this time."

"Perfect," she replied. "Now, is there a dust shop around here? I'd like to take a look at their merchandise. While the SDC has a strong foothold here, there are more competitors in Mistral than Vale or Atlas."

"Weiss, you're supposed to be having fun, not scoping out the competition." A gust of wind nearly sent the straw hat flying, and he placed a hand atop her head before it could be whisked off into oblivion. She took it off when the danger passed, and tucked it under her arm.

Weiss supposed he was right. She would undoubtedly lose herself into creating plans and charts for the SDC. She had to remind herself she was no longer the heiress and as such, had no bearing on whether the company stomped out their competition.

"You have a point," she told him, feeling the weight of his hand diminish when he pulled back. "Fine. Where else should we go? Need I remind you that we're here to see the sights, not stuff ourselves silly."

Jaune shrugged, like he hadn't spent the past hour gorging himself on street food. The boy had a monstrous appetite. It must have been terrible on his allowance, or whatever was left of it. "There's a place in the lower city that's a must see, according to the guidebook." He brought out the dog eared text, which he'd gotten from the airship dock near Haven. "It's a large lake on a levitating piece of land. One of the city's wonders."

"I've seen the floating islands when on the ride to Anima. But all of them were inhabited by Lancers." Weiss stated. "Very well. I'm interested in seeing how gravity dust crystals affect have affected it. And to have a lake on it? It certainly warrants our attention."

Jaune laughed. "Gotcha, Professor Schnee. We could take one of those … um, those things." He pointed at a group of faunus lounging near wheeled carts.

Weiss found herself digging into her memory at the familiar looking vehicles. Then, she brightened. "Oh, this is my first time seeing rickshaws. I've heard of them, but it's certainly strange to see non-motorized forms of transport." She tugged on his arm, dragging him towards them.

"Right?" Jaune said, smiling at her enthusiasm. Several faunus' faces twisted in disgust as they approached. They glared, tensing like they were gearing up for a fight. He didn't understand, until he realised who he was with. "Um … Weiss?" he lowered his voice, "Maybe we should walk."

"Rubbish. I'm in heels, and I'm not risking a twisted ankle just to see a lake." Weiss gave the faunus' a short nod. "Good afternoon. Is anyone willing to take us to …" she glanced up at Jaune.

"Lake Mi," he supplied, eyeing them warily.

Weiss smiled. "Yes, Lake Mi."

One of the faunus, with a pair of twisting horns jutting from his head, spat on the ground and left. Jaune couldn't help the frown that crossed his face. He knew the Schnee's had a bad reputation, but for them to write off Weiss was unfair.

He half expected Weiss to leave, stomp off in indignant fury, but she remained calm and open, looking back at the remaining group without a hint of emotion. When two others followed the horned faunus, the group dwindling to three, Weiss turned to him. "It seems like our plans for the lake will be better left for another time."

Jaune would have believed she wasn't upset, had her grip on his arm not felt like an iron claw. As he tried to formulate a reply, one of the faunus finally stepped up. A woman dressed in a olive tank top, pants rolled up to her ankles. Jaune noted with that she was barefoot. She regarded Weiss with a cautious expression and spoke.

It sounded like complete gibberish. But, thankfully, not to Weiss.

"Ah, Mistralian. Let me see …" Weiss proceeded to exchange words with her, unaffected by the razor sharp canines that peeked from her upper lip. When the two broke off, the flurry of Mistralian words melting into the body of noise around them, the faunus woman finally gave them a fanged smile and left to retrieve her rickshaw.

Weiss wore a smug look of satisfaction. "She's agreed to take us there. Likely more expensive than it would normally be, but beggars can't be choosers." She looked at Jaune's slackjawed expression. Her eyebrow quirked. "What's wrong?"

"I didn't know you spoke Mistralian." He said, weakly.

"I've been tutored ever since I could crawl. A Schnee is required to be fluent, if not conversational, in every language." Weiss huffed. "Whether they want to or not." She gently pulled him towards the arriving rickshaw and patted his arm. "Since you paid for the food, I'll take care of this one."

Weiss watched him clamber onto the vehicle and heaved a sigh of her own. _At least it didn't devolve into shouting_. _I'm not sure Jaune's semblance can save me from a tongue lashing, rightful or not._ She accepted his outstretched hand and climbed on.

Weiss met the stare of the faunus woman and gave her a nod. When the woman smirked back, Weiss couldn't help but giggle. _Reminds me of Blake._

* * *

The first fifteen minutes told them they were correct in hiring transport. The numerous roads which wound down the mountains were treacherous to any heel wearing individuals. A wide array of potholes dotting the slopes were numerous, so much that Jaune and Weiss began a game to see who could pick out ones that were absurdly shaped.

Half an hour later, Lake Mi came into sight. Bordering on the edge of the mountainous city, it was everything the guidebook said. Even from the road, Weiss could see the bright crimson bridge linking the floating landmass to the mountainous city itself. Jaune whistled, blue eyes wide in excitement.

"The guidebook doesn't do it justice." He said, awed.

"Indeed. This is truly awe inspiring." Weiss couldn't suppress the swell of emotion in her chest. "My father was wrong when he said Atlas was superior to Mistral in every way imaginable. Atlas doesn't have _this_."

"I don't think he's a good example to learn from." Jaune gave her a wry smile.

"True. I should know better not to put too much faith into his words."

"Don't worry," Jaune replied, a strange expression on his face. "It happens to the best of us."

When the rickshaw came to a stop, Weiss exchanged several more words with the faunus woman. In a testament to faunus' hardier bodies and all round increased athleticism, she looked winded rather than bone crushingly exhausted. Weiss shot her a look of admiration as they left, descending down a staircase.

"I gave her extra to wait," Weiss told him as they approached the small buildings littered here and there. "It helps that I'm generous."

"So modest." Jaune teased, earning a slap on the arm. "I'm kidding!"

"Dolt." Weiss said, smiling at him. "Come, let's see how we can get in."

The closer they got, the more crowded it seemed. People milled back and forth, but Weiss realised the proportion to locals and tourists were badly skewed. Likely the side effect of the CCT going down. Some locals were shuttling people back and forth, perhaps acting as tour guides, while others had bags of produce hanging from their backs or arms. Jaune politely shook his head as fruits, buns, and ice pops were shoved at him, his large stature thankfully blocking Weiss from sight.

The buildings they saw were actually much smaller than they seemed, squat stone structures with plaques hammered into their walls, detailing how old they were and why they were made. Weiss found herself lingering to read them. She was forced to move along when Jaune ushered her away, still hounded by peddlers.

"Why do they keep coming?" Jaune exclaimed. Weiss only giggled at his exasperation and ducked behind him when another person approached, thrusting a small bag of what looked like boiled nuts in his face. "That looks nice, but no thank you. C'mon Weiss, don't just stand there. Do something."

"Not making eye contact might help," she suggested. She'd easily brushed off any attempts with a single look. Those brave enough to approach quailed under her stare, backing off hastily. Others were probably watching, for no one had bothered to accost her since.

Jaune shook his head. "I don't want to be rude," he stated, rubbing the back of his head. Weiss' eyes softened. He was far too nice for his own good. "Oh, hello. No, no, I don't want any. Thanks anyway." He added, smiling at a man with tanned skin, a portable grill strapped to his front. Bits of charcoal and fire dust glowed at the bottom. "See what I mean?"

"I think it comes with the territory of looking as boyish as you do." Weiss joked. She leaned up and placed the straw hat on his head, the yellow brim obscuring his welcoming, blue eyes. Weiss felt a pang of disappointment. "Here. This will help."

Jaune's protests died quickly when no one else accosted him as they went on. It might have been partly Weiss' doing. She speared approaching stragglers with a frosty glare to rival Grimm, and quickly ushered Jaune into a crowd. They waded through groups of tourists flitting back and forth with scrolls in their sweaty hands, and found a booth with a faded sign nailed above it that screamed 'TICKETS HERE'.

Weiss and Jaune quickly got into line. Their conversation eventually steered towards who would pay, each word exchanged escalating in fierceness. By the time it was their turn, Weiss glowered triumphantly as Jaune sulked and stared in the opposite direction.

"Two tickets," Weiss told the person manning the booth. She gestured toward Jaune, then at herself.

The man in a burgundy coloured shirt nodded. His hands flashed over the counter, the sound of buttons bottoming out leaking from the holes in the glass. Several seconds of quiet whirring later, he handed her the tickets. Jaune took them with a word of thanks.

The price of one ticket was pasted against the panelling at the top of the glass screen, and Weiss handed over the exact amount of lien. She was surprised when a single lint card was returned. She looked up, nearly pushing it back toward him.

"We have couple discounts here," the man said with a wink.

Weiss didn't need to look to know that Jaune had gone pink. An embarrassed scowl stretched across her face. She cleared her throat and muttered, "Unnecessary, but thank you."

The man remained serene. "Not a problem. The gate is to your left, just hand them your ticket and you'll be allowed on the bridge." Weiss gave him a short nod and strode away, heels clicking on the cracked, tiled path. Jaune jogged to catch up. "Hey, wait up."

"Hurry up," she snapped. When he cringed, Weiss rubbed the deep crease between her brows. "Sorry. I didn't mean it. I'm … still getting used to the air. It's very thin."

They joined another line which stretched outward from the gigantic arch and watched as a flood of people exited the bridge, in the other direction. The unruly tourists were thankfully separated by a rusted metal fence, waist high, planted between the paths.

Weiss felt Jaune's gaze prickling her skin and glanced at him. "What?"

"Nothing," came his sheepish reply. He gestured to his head. "You want the hat back?"

Weiss considered his words. It was late afternoon and though the sunlight wasn't harsh, she worried that she'd blister. The sun had never been kind, only leaving cracked and peeling skin rather than a pleasant tan. "If you don't mind."

"Great! U-Um, I mean," he stuttered. Weiss realised with a jolt it was the first time she heard him do it since both teams met up. "It was yours, anyway. I got it for you." He took it off his head and placed it on hers. It was warm.

"I …" Weiss swallowed, her throat tight. "Thank you."

"No need to thank me, Weiss." He assured. "Don't let the wind carry it away."

"Of course not. That would be rude of me," she quipped. He smiled in relief. The awkward tension between them lingered until they reached the front of the line.

"Tickets." A burly faunus man with a barrel chest called. He stuffed the offered pieces of paper in the bag handing from his waist. "Okay, go. You can take pictures, but don't hold up the line."

"Alright. Shall we?" Weiss said, looking at Jaune.

He nodded. "I'll lead." He stepped in front of her. Weiss noted he was tall enough to shade her from the sun. She might not have needed the hat after all.


	4. Chapter 4: Bond pt 2

**Bond pt 2**

* * *

There were boats. Jaune went green just looking at them. He clutched his stomach, hoping Weiss was too busy admiring the view to notice. He sneaked a look and _oh no, don't tell me she wants to ride one._

"Let's ride one." Weiss declared. His stomach fell out from under him, landing between his feet. "I wonder how much it costs to rent?"

"It's probably expensive. The lake is a pretty popular destination."

Weiss adjusted her hat. "Hm, you may be right."

"We shouldn't be spending so much lien," he said. "It'll be bad if you run out." His hopes were dashed when she struck him with a triumphant smile.

"That won't be a problem." She took out her purse – where did she keep that thing in that dress of hers? - and nodded at its contents. "It seems I have plenty left even after discounting the second half of our rickshaw fee. Unless renting a boat costs an arm and leg, I can afford it."

"I feel bad about having you pay for everything," Jaune said. Which was true. He should have been paying for everything or chipped in for at half of what she'd spent. It wasn't a date, but it felt like he was taking advantage of her. "Besides, are you sure you want to ride those things? They look very unsafe."

"Jaune. We're trained to deal with Grimm. I think we can handle a short boat ride," Weiss said flippantly as she searched for the proprietor of the boathouse. She spied a hunched figure beside a tiny shack, "Excuse me, but …" and was off before Jaune could stop her.

He groaned quietly. Stuffing himself with street food had been delightful, but looking at these constantly swaying death traps, obviously designed to induce nausea and headaches, Jaune felt the aching burn of regret in his belly. Or was that just the corn coming back to haunt him? _I should have asked for less butter._ He clasped his hands in silent prayer.

"Fifty lien. I'd admit I expected worse." Weiss returned with a glower to her pale skin, looking luminous as her eyes darted around the lake in repressed delight. "It wasn't too bad. I've gotten worse things for that price."

It was adorable how excited she was. Yang had called her a nerd, but Weiss didn't study for the sake of it. She sought new information to improve herself. He'd thought it because her father pushed her to perfection, but she seemed to take joy from it. Weiss had even been nose deep in textbooks Jaune snuck away from Ruby during her recovery.

Jaune's mood dipped. He thought back to their days at Beacon, wondering how he'd mustered the courage to approach her when she was clearly out of his league. His mind went back to his talk with Neptune, and he blanched.

"Here is the one I picked out," Weiss called as she waved him over. He jogged to join her at the oval shaped boat she'd commandeered, and took up the oars lying at the bottom on her urging. "We can switch duties later," she promised.

"I don't mind." Jaune gestured for her to relax, squeezing the necks of the oars into the rusted metal rings on the side of the boat. The ebb and sway of the boat might have been considered hypnotic to some, but it felt downright unbearable to him. Rowing duties would keep his mind occupied. "Oof, here we go. Don't fall over, Weiss."

"Dolt. I'm not a child."

Jaune observed how she vibrated in place and laughed under his breath. With a heave of his arms, the boat creaked and groaned as it slid out into the lake. Weiss whipped her head back and forth. Her eyes drank in glistening sheet of golden water, before swivelling to large signboards planted in the banks of the lake. At her instruction Jaune rowed them closer, and he realised there were words carved into the flat pieces of burnish metal.

These signs were blocked off from the walking paths with waist high fences. Unsurprising, considering families frequented this destination. Jaune caught sight of several enthusiastic children waving and paused to wave back.

"Fascinating …" He heard Weiss mutter. He looked back and saw wonder reflected in her eyes.

"Can you read what they say?" Jaune prompted as he fought down a bout of motion sickness.

"It's talking about the legend of Lake Mi." The signs they drifted past were numbered, and he paddled the boat further away to let her take them in their entirety. He waited for Weiss to start speaking. She didn't disappoint.

"Once, this lake was a beautiful field of rice. Golden stalks, rising high in deference. The harvest would be wondrous year after year, until one day, Grimm came from beneath, bursting through the earth. They left it beyond repair, a basin of death and decay," Weiss narrated, chin resting on steepled fingers.

Jaune listened, enraptured. "But one day, from the center rose a large crystal that drained the corruption wrought by Grimm. Rain blessed the land once more. It filled the empty fields, its water the colour of the beautiful rice paddies that once grew here. Before the Grimm could return, the earth surrounding the field crumbled and broke. Lake Mi took to the air, separating itself from what is now known as Mistral."

Her words seemed to warp and shift as they butted heads with humid Mistralian air. Jaune stopped rowing to wipe the sweat off his forehead. "I … wow. That's quite the story."

"An archaeologist who'd unearthed records had it translated. The signs write that this miraculous feat was in fact, conjured by two gods who watched over this land." Weiss scoffed and shook her head.

Jaune found a single eyebrow lifting. "Don't believe in miracles, Weiss?"

"If by miracle you mean the natural progression of the elements."

"I don't get it. Bless us mortals with your wisdom, oh wise and generous Schnee."

Weiss rolled her eyes as he chuckled. "See that crystal in the center of the lake? It's obviously a gravity crystal. It likely formed in the earth, eventually accumulating to its sheer size. I'd admit it's bigger than most dust crystals I have seen in mines, but given that the lake's soil is eroded and weak, we can assume the crystal grew too big to be contained underground and broke through to the surface."

"What about the lake? Can you explain how it became this colour?" Jaune challenged.

"Reactions between Dust and nature are common. This could be one of them. Perhaps the lake water organically bonded with the dust over time."

Jaune grinned. "Or maybe Gods really did bless this lake."

Weiss matched his smug look with a flat stare. "I refuse to be baited into arguing about this. As the heiress to the biggest conglomerate on Remnant, I've seen my share of miraculous technology borne from the brightest minds in Atlas. Created by mankind, by science." She caught herself and cleared her throat. "Ex-heiress, I mean. Still, my point stands."

"You can't explain everything in this world with science," Jaune shrugged. "Besides, I think there's one thing we can both agree on."

"And that is?"

"That it's a beautiful lake."

Weiss threw her head back and laughed. "Yes, I can't argue with that." Jaune leaned back, a gratified smile on his face. She watched him a little while longer, then asked, "Would you like me to take over?"

"Nah, it's fine. I need to keep myself occupied or I'd …" he paused and felt his face heat up. "Never mind. Should I go closer to the gravity crystal?" He said, his chin pointing to the jagged gravity crystal protruding from the center of the lake.

"Please do."

He paddled them closer. Once they were at the barrier that ringed it, Jaune let go of the oars, his gaze roaming freely. The crystal was deep violet, bordering on black. Even under the shafts of afternoon light, there wasn't a hint of a reflection. It cut an imposing figure amidst their dreamlike surroundings.

"Seems like it's covered in an anti-reactionary coating of some sort," Weiss said. Her entire upper body strained as she leaned over the barrier to get a closer look. "But it's strange. Dust crystals as large as this shouldn't be stopped by a mere coating. In fact, even a tiny pulse of aura would be enough to light it up." Her hand lit up as a light blue sheen shimmered into existence over her skin.

Jaune's panicked hands grasped her shoulders and he pulled her back. "Weiss! Do you want to blow us to the moon?!"

"Calm down. I'd like to think I have common sense in handling dust," she replied gamely. "Besides, it takes more than raw aura to set off a crystal. That kind of volatility is thankfully exclusive to dust in powdered form."

"Then why did you …"

Weiss smiled. "I believe it's what Yang would call a 'bad joke'."

Jaune sputtered. "Aw, come on." His skin lit up. He had yet let go and his aura had reacted to hers, the opaque white shield extending from wrist upwards to his elbow.

He recalled the first time he saw Pyrrha's, a bright crimson web which engulfed her from head to toe as she drew out his own aura reserves. Jaune flinched and drew back like Weiss had burned him. "Sorry. I didn't mean to … you know."

Weiss looked concerned but didn't push. "It's fine. I would have done the same if you tried that in a dust mine." She picked up the oars before he could stop her. "I suppose you deserve a measure of relaxation after that. I'll row us back."

Jaune's stomach lurched. "G-Great."

* * *

He emptied his stomach over the edge of the floating landmass, watching through his tears as his hearty brunch torpedoed to the rocks below.

"Water?" Weiss said. Her forehead creased as she watched him jerk his head back, right hand still white knuckled around the rail. "I'm not sure if it'd help, but …"

"Please," he wheezed. Jaune shut his eyes as the sun jeered at him from its perch in the sky. Whatever that came up from inside his body was vile, and he desperately wished for a mint to scrub the taste off his tongue. "Thanks, Weiss," He downed the water she handed over. It finished quickly. She pried it from his hands and handed him another. "You're a lifesaver."

"One good turn deserves another." Weiss couldn't help her wry grin "What you did for me can't be compared to this, though."

Jaune finished the second bottle, stomach finally settled. "Does it really matter?"

"Of course it does. I would have died if it wasn't for you. It's a debt I'm not sure I'll be able to repay. Not without the Schnee fortune at least."

Jaune handed her the empty bottle, giving her a strange look. "…you don't owe me anything, Weiss," he said quietly. "I'm just glad I could help for once."

 _Is this why she's being so nice to me? Because she feels like she has to repay me?_ The thought felt like a blade through his chest. He'd wanted her attention but not like this.

"It was fluke, anyhow," he continued." Imagine if my semblance hadn't manifested. I would have failed and you'd be …" They both shifted uneasily as the unfinished sentence hung in the air.

"W-Well, I'm glad it did." Weiss cleared her throat. "I'd have come back to haunt you, otherwise." The joke fell flat, and Jaune turned away.

As she left to throw the empty bottles, he stood there, lost, letting the chatter of the crowd washed over him. Numbness spread from the center of his chest, right down to the points of his fingers.

Jaune looked down at his hands. _What the hell? I'm still as useless as I was when Pyrrha shoved me in that locker._ His hands came down on the railing. Why had he been proud that his semblance had come in and saved the day? If it hadn't, Weiss would have died and he would have failed everyone. He couldn't beat Cinder, couldn't save Pyrrha and almost couldn't save Weiss. What right did have to be here? Breathing the same air as his friends, who'd done so much for him?

"Jaune? Your face is pale." Weiss had returned. He could feel her hand hovering over his shoulder.

He straightened. "Sorry. I don't feel good."

"Do you need any medicine? They might sell some nearby."

"Not really. Can we … can we leave?" Weiss' looked torn. She looked back to the other side of the lake they hadn't yet explored. But then she nodded, said, "Of course. The exit's over there." She adjusted her straw hat, and they went.

The bridge trembled with each step. The thick coils of metal under their feet felt more like spider thread, ready to give way if its oblivious passengers decided to thrash violently.

Jaune swayed with the jerk and tug of people climbing on and off in succession. He would have felt uneasy, but the numbness of his previous realisation had yet to fade.

 _I'm completely useless. What if someone else gets injured, and I can't activate my semblance? What then?_ Those thoughts circled his mind, over and over. He didn't notice he'd stepped off the bridge until bodies nudged him by. There was even an expletive or two, ones he'd understood since they were spoken by the common Valesian tongue.

Weiss' body shaking sigh made him look up. "What's wrong?"

"I can't find my purse. I must have dropped it at the exit, or on the way down." She told him grudgingly. "Normally, I wouldn't worry, but it's got the rest of the money we need to pay for the ride back."

Jaune grimaced. "That's … bad. I'll help you look."

"It's fine, I won't take long. My purse has dust woven into it. My aura would light it up once I'm close enough. If anyone found and tried to keep it, they'd probably get a nasty surprise." Weiss' smirked menacingly. "You can look for the rider that brought us here. If I truly can't find it, we'd have to walk back to the city. I doubt either of us wants that."

"Right." He watched her walk away before he called out, "Stay safe, Weiss."

She disappeared into the throng, though he glimpsed the wide brim of her hat every now and again. Jaune set about looking for the faunus woman who'd brought them here and gave anyone selling food or other necessities a wide berth. He ended up straddling the lot just beside the mountainous road. There were rickshaws scattered everywhere, and it was likely where he would find her.

As he fruitlessly searched the area, tired eyes combing through the surprisingly large amount of faunus, his traitorous thoughts continued gnawing at him.

It was harder to ignore without Weiss' comforting presence. Each time he batted them away, they only grew in size and tenacity.

Pyrrha's face was a constant in his mind's eye. He stared out through the slit in the locker's door, to the tortured expression she wore as he was flung into the air – never to see her again.

" _Jaune," she seemed to say. "Why didn't you stop me?"_

" _Jaune?" Ruby peered at me through the curtain of her red hair. "What are we going to do? Uncle Qrow isn't waking up."_

" _Jaune?" Weiss' rapidly fluttering eyes grew still. I pressed on her wound, felt the blood on my hands as the life I tried so desperately to keep inside her continued to ooze. I had no semblance. My aura was low. I dredged up whatever remained and pulsed it over the hole in her body._

 _But it was no use. The body beneath my hands loosened. She was dead._

" _Jaune?" My father shook his head. "You failed them."_

 _My hands shook. I lifted them to my face. They felt sticky, hot. Oh. I can't save anyone._

" _Jaune." Ashes convalesced into Pyrrha's smiling figure. "I'm dead. And it's all your fault."_

" _Your fault." They formed a ring around me. "Your fault."_

 _Cinder handed me her arrow. "Here," she told me. "To the boy who always lost."_

 _I grasped the shaft of the arrow with shaky hands. Around me, they watched, waiting. I knew what I had to do. The pointed nib beckoned. I thrust it forward and–_

"Jaune! Look at me!" He felt his face mashed between sweaty palms before it was pulled down. "Look at me." Weiss demanded, her tone fierce. He blinked once, the second time a rapid flutter of lashes. The look on her face eased and her next words were gentler, like the stroke of a mother's hand. "You're in Mistral. You're safe."

Jaune's vision swam. His hand clasped hers, shaking. "Are you safe?"

"What?" Weiss blinked, taken aback.

"You're safe?"

"I am. You saved me, remember?"

"I'm a failure. It's my fault Pyrrha died. You almost did, too."

"But I didn't. You used your semblance to save me."

"I got lucky. What if my semblance hadn't activated? What if you didn't stop bleeding? What if my semblance had been something else? What if Cinder stabbed you again, and I'd run out of aura and–"

"There's no point in thinking about it." Weiss said firmly, letting her hand cup his face. She wiped his tear tracks with a slow swipe of her thumb. "What matters is that we're here. You're alive, you succeeded in saving me, and it is what it is. Alright?"

Jaune couldn't bring himself to say anything else. Weiss' hat fell to the ground as he knocked it aside, burying his face into her shoulder. He couldn't stop shaking.

"I'm sorry, Pyrrha," he cried, "I'm sorry."

Through his tears, he could vaguely feel the thump of Weiss' heart against his chest.

"I'm sorry, too." Weiss murmured. Her next words were soft enough that even Jaune missed them. "Forgive me, Pyrrha."

As she stroked his head, she felt tears prick at her own eyes. She held them back. Maybe she'd known from the start, but with this, Jaune had confirmed it. She would never be, nor ever would be enough to fill the shoes she had left behind.

The realization made her reel back. And not for the first time, she wished Pyrrha was alive so the time that stopped for all of them would start again.

* * *

Weiss bid the faunus woman goodbye, Jaune's sullen presence a shadow clinging to the edge of her vision. She watched the hind of the rickshaw grow faint before she turned to him and gently grasped his elbow. "It's about time for dinner. I'm starving."

He said nothing, merely responding with a short nod. Weiss let Jaune shamble ahead, trying wrest her thoughts into order. _At least he didn't pass out,_ Weiss reflected, _I'm not sure what I could've done if that happened._

With all the fanfare and emotional team bonding her own team had done, she should have known better to assume Jaune had recovered from Pyrrha's death. He hadn't seemed tired, acted strange or hinted at his internal turmoil. Unlike Ruby, who's strange behaviour instantly grabbed Weiss' attention.

The younger girl would be chattering away one second, then falling into a bout of depressive silence next. She would excuse herself and disappear for hours at a time.

It frightened her.

Weiss did the only thing she could, even roped Yang and Blake to assist in getting to the bottom of it. She had more than enough free time during the three days she dodged Jaune's existence.

Normally, Weiss despised dragging emotional wounds to the surface. But she cared for Ruby, and there was an ever present urge to smother the girl with affection to make up for lost time. The confrontation with Ruby had gone like she'd planned. As well it could have, anyway.

It had only taken a few verbal prods before Ruby had burst into tears. Weiss had blinked, gobsmacked, as the girl babbled about Pyrrha, abandoning Yang, her Uncle getting poisoned, and the most recent event of Weiss nearly dying, before Yang caught her in a tight hug and let Ruby cry herself into unconsciousness.

Ruby had her team to rely on. But with Jaune, Nora and Ren…

Weiss' stared at Jaune's back, hunched and defeated. _I need to tell Ruby to check on them._ She suppressed the urge to convey the message via scroll. Ruby would be beside herself with worry unless she got the full story. Putting the thought aside, Weiss widened her stride to catch up to him.

"Did anything catch your eye?" she asked.

Jaune shrugged. Weiss frowned. The urge to rib him was present, but she knew better than to resume her haughty heiress act. That would only make them both drained. Or maybe push Jaune to anger, which she absolutely did not need. "I guess we'll walk a little longer," she said, falling back into silence.

Dusk arrived in a slow trot. The sky purpled and the din of chatter slowed like jelly left in a cool place to set. The streets had gone sparse, and Weiss easily held on to Jaune as she navigated them through the makeshift maze of the market they'd visited in the afternoon.

"Hello!" someone called. Weiss smiled as the jovial older woman waved jauntily. It was the stand that sold nearly a third of it's corn to Jaune earlier that day. "More for you?"

Weiss glanced at Jaune. He was still listless, but some colour had returned to his cheeks. Weiss sifted through her purse, relieved to find enough lien. "Two, please."

"Very good," the woman laughed. Weiss watched as she peeled the wrappings off the corn cobs and buttered them generously. Her diet was shot to hell at this point, and she watched in resignation as the woman continued slathering layer upon layer of cholesterol inducing dairy. "Two good corn. Eat, eat!"

Weiss thanked her and took the brown paper bag. She passed it to Jaune, watching out of the corner of her eye as his face was rimmed with steam.

"Do you know someplace we could sit down?" Weiss asked as she handed over the last of her lien.

"Park, behind market. Five minute walk."

Weiss was filled with a measure of relief. "Thank you once again."

"Come back for more corn!" The woman bellowed, waving them off. Weiss smothered a laugh. Mistral had it's disadvantages but its people were far more welcoming than Atlas'.

True to the directions, Weiss easily found the park located behind the bustling market. The glow of dusk had lengthened into something darker, but the occasional streetlight brightened the way so they weren't stumbling over their own feet.

The park was small and homely, with trees tall enough to obscure the powerlines crisscrossing this part of the residential district. Yet another thing Weiss had marvelled at when Jaune led around.

Vale and Atlas were similar in that dust powered machines was the norm, but in Mistral, with its plentiful waterfalls and dams, electricity was more widespread. Given how clustered the districts were, anything powered by dust would be a safety hazard.

"I'm not hungry." Jaune's sudden declaration jolted her. Weiss folded her arms and huffed.

"You look as if you're ready to gnaw your hand off."

"I am not."

"Just be quiet and eat. I bought this to make you feel better." Weiss wondered if she'd said the wrong thing when he stilled. He resumed fiddling with the paper bag a second later, eventually taking out the sweet smelling corn. He eyed it with relish.

"See?" she muttered as he devoured the cob like a starving hyena. He vacuumed up the kernels in seconds and dived for the second one.

"Oh. Wait, do you want some?" Jaune paused with the cob in his hands. "Sorry, I wasn't thinking."

"I'm not hungry," Weiss lied. Her stomach growled in protest, and her cheeks flared with heat. Jaune chuckled. "I suppose one bite wouldn't hurt. But I'm not keen on dirtying my fingers."

In retrospect, she'd only said it to push Jaune to eat the entire thing. She should have expected that his bleeding heart would lead him to hold out the corn cob, smiling boyishly. "Here."

"…honestly." She haltingly leaned forward. The kernels were juicy, and the butter only emphasized the sweetness of it.

"It's delicious," Jaune said with a dreamy sigh. And he was back to work, chomping on the cob like his life depended on it. Maybe it did. Weiss guessed he was the type of person who numbed himself by eating in excess. It certainly explained his enormous appetite.

Night had well and truly fallen by the time he was done. Weiss purposely looked away when he licked his buttered fingers. She smacked his arm and tossed him a napkin. Before the atmosphere could default into the previous cold, jilted one, Weiss turned fully to face him. The park bench was small and her knees were pressed against his.

"We should talk about what happened."

His face closed off. "It was an one off thing. Don't worry."

"Both you and Ruby are really of like minds." Weiss shook her head. "Jaune, I know you're hurt. But I want you to know that Pyrrha's death was not your fault." It was what she'd told Ruby, and Weiss meant it. The credit for that ultimately fell to Cinder.

"But it's not." The calm and self-assured way he said it sent shivers down her back. "Do you know why she went up that tower, Weiss? It was because I couldn't stop her. I asked her to run, to get to safety. But Pyrrha wanted to try, because that's Pyrrha for you." He cracked a bitter smile. "Always the hero."

"And how is that your fault? Pyrrha made her decision."

"She was going to die. She knew that, I knew that. But I should have been strong enough to stop her! I'm the leader, Weiss, I'm should be protecting my team and stopping them from running into danger." He fisted a clump of his hair, a crazed look entering his eyes. "If it were Ruby, she'd have stopped Pyrrha."

"If Ruby had been in your place … she would have gone to fight Cinder instead," Weiss said.

And if Pyrrha hadn't went, that was exactly what would have played out. Ruby had told her what happened that night. After she finished, Weiss couldn't stop thinking, _Ruby could have died. If Pyrrha wasn't there, I'd have sent Ruby to her death._ "Blaming yourself helps no one. Pyrrha chose to live and die as a hero."

"It was because of me!" Jaune's yell echoed, pained, like a wounded animal. "If I'd noticed Cinder following us, Pyrrha could have gotten the power she needed to stop the invasion."

Weiss watched him come up with theory after theory, a vicious circle of regret that would only crush him eventually. "Jaune, stop this." Her firm words only served to infuriate him.

"You don't get it, Weiss! Everybody tells me to forgive myself, blame Cinder, but it's impossible! If Pyrrha was here, she'd blame me, too. Because _I_ killed her." His fingernails wedged into the flesh of his palms. "If you want to help, tell me I killed her. Tell me the truth!"

Weiss grabbed his collar. Her lips slid over his, harsh and unrelenting. When she drew back, Jaune realised her eyes were misted over. "Weiss …" he said, shocked.

"I know you love her." Weiss' voice wavered. "I did. We all did. She was our friend. It's because we loved her that we know she wouldn't have blamed you." She stroked his cheek, feeling the scrape of stubble. "We know it's not your fault. So why can't you?"

Jaune leaned in, their foreheads touching. "I don't deserve to be happy. Not when she's gone."

"She would say differently." Weiss murmured. "No one deserves to suffer, Jaune."

He smelled of corn. Butter, too. She noted the absence of the peach scent she usually smelled on him, but declined to ask. "I don't know what I should do anymore. I'm tired." Jaune said, sounding small.

"Sort out your feelings and talk to your team," Weiss advised. "Try to forgive yourself. I know it's easier said than done but … we all start somewhere." Then she kissed him again.

This time, he was the first to draw back. His eyes were sad. "I'll never be over her."

"I know."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be." The smile she gave him was one full of self-loathing. "I should be the one apologizing." She saw the question on his lips and leaned in once more. Even when he returned her kiss, her heart remained heavy.

 _I'm sorry, Pyrrha. It should have been you in my place._

* * *

 **AN:**

 _Thanks for all the reviews so far. I'm glad people are enjoying this weird fic. I'm playing around with Mistral, since we never got to explore it fully in canon. I always imagined it to be a mix of different asian cultures (because of the types of buildings there) mainly drawing from Thailand._

 _Funny thing, I'd intended the chapter to end with both Jaune and Weiss getting angry, with both of them storming away at the end. But I dunno, it turned out like this. I quite like it, actually. It's ... hard writing Jaune and Weiss (since I mainly write Ruby) but it's quite fun once you get in the groove._ _Weiss is also kind of the second main character in this story, if you couldn't already tell._

 _Out of everyone in the show right now, I feel that Jaune has the most potential. He just found his semblance, his fam popped up in vol 6. Where can he go from here? We know very little of him compared to say, team RWBY. Well, maybe him and Oscar. Because of the whole Oz taking over his body thing._

 _So, yeah. Experimenting has been lots of fun. Ramble over, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. Let me know what you think. We're halfway done at this point._


	5. Chapter 5: Into the fire

**Into the fire**

* * *

Her first time on Argus Limited, yet she couldn't muster the energy to be excited. Weiss sighed into her hands. Recent events had thoroughly strangled any enjoyment she tried to feel. The party was dead, she had killed it. She snuggled into the scarf around her neck, worries momentarily shafted by the vulgar softness of the red wool.

"Here, sour puss." Weiss scrunched her face, glaring up at Yang. She took the can of hot coffee and muttered her thanks.

"I thought you were busy with Blake," she asked grudgingly as Yang fell into the seat beside her.

"She's saying goodbye to her friend. Ilia, I think her name was." Yang sipped at her own can. "Sun's not coming with us. Neptune's here to pick him up and I thought you'd be … I dunno, happy to see him."

Weiss winced as she plucked open the tinny piece of metal, a fissure of hot steam warming the air in front of her face. "We haven't been in contact since the dance."

"Ooh," Yang winced. "Gotcha."

Weiss gave her a look. "I'm not upset, if you were wondering."

"With that look on your face? Could have fooled me. Ruby's off getting cookies to cheer you up."

Weiss' mouth twitched upwards. Ruby could be oddly perceptive, much like her annoying sister. "She could be getting them for herself."

"She's getting cookies for both of you," Yang corrected. "She was pestering Uncle Qrow to hand over more lien. It's how I got the drinks. Gotta love having a full-fledged Hunter with us. He's got enough funds to buy literally anything. Not that he would, but it's a nice thought."

"Better than the two buffoons who approached us earlier," Weiss grumbled. "They looked exceptionally incompetent, giving out private information like that. If we'd been terrorists, the train's security would have already been compromised." She drained more coffee before sighing again, hollow and more drawn out. "Yang, what is the point of this?"

"The coffee?" Yang gulped down the rest of her drink. Weis eyed her ruefully. If only her semblance could afford her protection from a scalded tongue. "It's because I saw you shivering." She puffed out her chest. "Go on. Praise me."

"You bring a tear to my eye with your kindness," Weiss chuckled. "But really. What are you playing at?"

"You got me. After Ruby filled us in the other night, I thought I could take your mind off him." Yang nudged her chin at Team JNR, who had claimed the bench near some vending machines. They watched Nora snore away on Ren's lap, the boy running his fingers through her hair. "You've been making moony-eyes at our local blonde for the past hour."

"Us?"

"Me and Blake." Yang snorted at Weiss' sudden jitters. "We're worried about you."

"We?" Weiss teased. To her great satisfaction, Yang coughed into her hand, cheeks pinking. "Fine! I was worried about you," the blonde shot back. "Still. I can't believe you kissed him. Twice."

Weiss gasped as Yang cackled. "It was in the spur of the moment!"

"Oh, I bet the two of you had plenty of 'moments' after," Yang dodged the slap, her mechanical hand gleefully beating a rhythm on her thigh. "I'm kidding. Like I said, Ruby told us what happened. You both came back, said goodnight, and haven't spoken since. Now, do you want me to drag him over and smoosh his face against yours?"

"You are a scoundrel, Xiao Long."

Yang patted her chest. "I wear it like a badge of honour. But seriously. Do you want me to get him to talk to you? I can do it, you know." Weiss rolled her eyes when Yang cracked her knuckles meaningfully. Ever the dramatic one, she was.

"We're giving each other space," Weiss said. "I'm not sure if you've noticed, but we aren't in a good state of mind to be making rash decisions. I… do not want to push him into something he's not ready for."

"Yeah, the Pyrrha shaped hole is a tough one to fill." Yang winced when slender fingers pinched her forearm. "Hey, I'm just spitting facts."

"Don't be crass. You know how much she means to him."

"And I know how much he means to you." Yang patted her on the shoulder. "Trust me, the faster you both can talk things out, the better it'd be. Don't leave things till they're past the point of recovery."

"I know." Weiss nodded soberly. "Enough about me. How are things between you and Blake?"

"Whoops, I need another drink."

Yang groaned when Weiss pulled her back into her seat. "Oh no, I'm not letting you swagger your way out of this. You tried helping me, now I'm returning the favour. So? Did you take my advice?"

"We talked. Kinda. Sorta." Yang rubbed the back of her head. "It's … weird. She keeps treating me like a porcelain doll. I don't like it. I can handle myself."

"Did you tell her?"

"Of course, I did." Weiss glowered at her. Yang raised her hands. "Okay, I didn't say it outright. She should know where I'm coming from, though! I'm still the same person I was back at Beacon. I don't need her to mother me, I can still kick ass and take names."

"We've all changed in some way or another," Weiss said. Yang scowled and looked away. "It's not a bad thing. It just means we need to test the waters and open up a little more, to move forward."

"I'll say. You and Jaune have been ploughing forward at a speed none of us can keep up with."

Ruby skipped around the corner and blanched. She threw the bag on a nearby bench and rocketed forward. "Weiss, stop trying to strangle my sister! And Yang, stop kicking my partner in the shin!"

"Tell this foul mouthed cretin my patience only extends _so_ far!" Weiss adjusted her scarf, making faces at the blonde.

"Ice serf!" Yang yelled, and flipped the bird.

"Peasant!" Weiss waved the vial of dust from her pocket.

"Settle down brats. There's too little rum for me to deal with this." Qrow stepped between them, rubbing his temples. "Oum above, I'm glad I never got married."

"You ended up having children, anyway." Oscar piped up. At Qrow's glare, he yelped and waved his cane. "Wasn't me!" His demeanour flickered, edging into eerie calmness. He smirked. "It was I."

Qrow resisted the urge to punt his old friend into the ceiling and drew in a calming breath. There was a wine shop on the second floor. He could still make it if he ran.

"Be right back." He pointed a finger at Ruby. "You're in charge."

"I am?!" Ruby whirled on her friends, eyes gleaming. "Line up, maggots. Leader extraordinaire, Ruby Rose, orders you!" Yang and Weiss blinked. Then went back to trying to stab each other's eyes out. "I'm warning you, don't make me use my legs!"

* * *

The Argus train seemed to slither through the cliff of the mountain range, pace only quickening as the longer it chugged along.

Blake placed her hands on her hips. "Honestly," she said, exasperated. "I leave for ten minutes and you almost get us kicked out of the station."

"Wait, why are you scolding me?" Ruby protested, "I tried to stop them."

"Proclaiming yourself the grandmaster of ice and fire is not stopping them." Blake huffed, flicked her in the forehead. "And so is running circles around them. You almost created a literal tornado." Ruby sulked. Blake sighed and handed her a bag. "You forgot this."

"My cookies!" Ruby squealed. "Blake, you're the best!"

"I thought I was the best." Yang called from her time-out area. Weiss nudged her and rolled her eyes. "Blake is the best." Weiss said, firmly. "Deal with it."

"Don't start, you two." Blake warned, taking a seat on the plush satin bench.

"I'm real offended, but because I love you idiots, I'll be good." Yang brushed her knees off and grabbed her bag. As she was lifting it into the compartment, Blake darted over. "Here, let me help with that," the cat faunus insisted.

Yang sighed. "Blake…"

Weiss watched them talk in low tones. Their attempts at patching up the mess after the fall of Beacon was clumsy. But it was progress, nonetheless. She let them be and took a seat by Ruby.

"Oh, I forgot. One bag's for you, Weiss."

"Thank you." Weiss said, giving her partner a sincere smile. They munched on the treats in companionable silence. The train was outfitted with state of the art heaters, and compared to the frosty weather outside, she felt remarkably toasty. It was an engineering marvel. It would take an entire day to reach Argus, but the experience was far more exciting than riding an airship.

Weiss sighed inwardly. She wished she'd nabbed the pamphlets she spotted in the first carriage. She wanted to know about the Argus. Boarding had been hectic, especially when security had threatened to throw them out minutes before the allotted boarding time.

"You know what? This is kinda boring." Ruby complained, spitting crumbs everywhere. "I heard Grimm always attack this train. I'm ready for a fight."

"I should hope not. I've had enough excitement for one day." Weiss muttered.

"Nah, you heard wrong, Sis," Yang tacked on. "The attendant up front told me they only get attacked once or twice a year." Blake stood behind the blonde with a resigned scowl etched into her face, before ambling over to join her partner by the window.

 _It's strange to see them fight. It's like the White Fang all over again,_ Weiss thought.

"Whaaat?" Ruby groaned.

"We have three hunters on the train, counting Qrow. There's us and JNR, too." Blake said. "Even if there are Grimm, we should be able to handle it."

Weiss groaned. "Blake … I do believe you just jinxed us."

"Why? Because I'm a black cat?" Weiss rolled her eyes as her teammate feigned offense. They had come a long way since their first year. If her father could see her joking with a faunus, an ex-fang member at that, he'd have a headache so strong his head would burst into flames. "For shame, Weiss."

"No, you dolt. I'm saying it because it's what always happens. We're trouble magnets of the highest calibre."

Outside, a vague black shadow swooped past. Ruby and Yang exchanged identical eager grins, while Blake merely shrugged.

"GRIMM!" Someone screamed. Weiss facepalmed.

The turrets were firing relentlessly by the time four of them reached the dining car. Myrtenaster ready and waiting on her waist, Weiss wasn't surprised to see Qrow barking orders to Jaune and his team. Ruby's uncle was a right drunk, but she had to give him credit for being one of the most versatile and quick witted hunters she'd ever met.

She glanced sidelong at Ruby who soaked up every detail of the plan Qrow rattled off. She could practically see the gears in her mind whirring. Barring the alcoholism, Weiss could see her partner growing into a huntress far surpassing her Uncle one day.

Her gaze moved to Jaune. He stared outside the carriage window, a burning intensity to his eyes that made her wince. Then his eyes snapped toward her. Her heart stuttered. Weiss tore her gaze away, berating herself.

Her mind went back to their kiss. It had been pleasant despite their broiling emotions, and that night she'd dreamt of the gentle brush of his tongue against her lips, his wandering hands descending to the valley of her thighs, before she flew awake with hurried gasps.

 _If Yang could hear my thoughts … I would kill myself twice over._

"Alright, you heard him." Ruby was stern, her expression promising brimstone and hellfire to their enemies. "Let's go, team." Weiss nodded and followed Ruby up the ladder leading up the walls dining car. Yang and Blake were close behind her.

Jaune lead Nora and Ren with his own similarly intense two second speech, and raced to the other end of the train, per Qrow's instructions. The blood in Weiss' ears roared like it always did before battle. Her aura raged like a stormy sea beneath her skin, ready to be unleashed.

* * *

It had been a long time since Team RWBY had executed team attacks and their separation had not been kind. The first time they attempted to do their favoured twin attack, Ruby and Weiss had misjudged their timings entirely. Weiss very nearly froze Crescent Rose's blade with her glyphs. But the practice spars they'd did in Mistral had paid off.

Weiss had never been happier as she watched Ruby leap off her glyphs, her blade savagely slicing a Manticore into two. Now that was truly a thing to sing about. The beauty of battle could not be understood by those who had not truly experienced it, and back when she was in Atlas, she often struggled to describe it to a curious Klein.

She prided herself on remaining clear-headed during even the most intense of battles. But it'd been long since she tasted the thrill of the hunt, the bone splitting scream of a dying Grimm as she used it as a pin cushion. Here, flanked by people she trusted most, Weiss rained fury on the monsters of darkness like a Valkyrie killing swathes of monsters with a single flick of her wrist.

"Sheesh, Weiss." Yang came up beside her, heat steaming off her skin. A dragon in human's body, Weiss' mind helpfully supplied. "Leave some for the rest of us."

"Tell that to Ruby," she quipped. She loaded another dust cartridge into the chamber. "She's killed nearly twice the amount I did."

"I'm sure." Yang's crimson eyes traced the arc painted by the Manticore's lower half as it plummeted into the forest below. Ruby twirled her weapon and used the recoil of the rifle to decapitate another head, tail, then body. In a flourish of rose petals, she launched herself off the train, bounded off a passing Sphinx, landing behind Blake. "Man, I can't tell which are the monsters."

"Stupid question. After all, staring into the abyss allows it to stare back at you."

"I was thinking we were monsters too, just more gorgeous, but hey, that works."

Blake launched Gambol into the air, slicing the wings of newly arriving Manticores. Qrow fended the savage whip of a white snake, the Spinx's tail as deadly as the rest of it, and slid under it's massive body. His weapon, a unholy amalgamation of death's scythe and a blade resembling a massive slab of granite, sparked as he deflected each frenzied swipe of sharp talons.

Uncle and Niece met in the centremost carriage. Weiss spun to avoid the fireball, let it run through a massive glyph she threw up in front of it. It turned to ice and crushed the skulls of Manticores still perched on the carriages further down. She could see a swatch of blonde hair in a distance, and the occasional flash of pink lightning. As if guided by a magnet seeking it's other half, Jaune looked up.

His eyes widened. "TUNNEL!"

Weiss heard his yell over the howl of the wind and turned to see the Sphinx grovelling in its own blood. It was dead after she blinked, and she relayed the message with all the air in her lungs allowed. They quickly retraced their steps and returned into the safety of the carriages before the incoming tunnel could take their heads off.

They'd succeeded in keeping the train safe. But then a man screamed, tortured and full of loathing. Weiss could smell the stench of fear around here even though the Grimm had fled, leaving the world in utter silence.

* * *

The so called Hunter's arm was mangled. His aura should have protected him from the worse of it, and it did. At least his arm hadn't been shaved clean off. His forearm was twisted, bent backwards, his wrist reaching his elbow. The cabin light glinted off the white bone jutting through his flesh.

Weiss supposed they were lucky he'd been in the last car. Experienced in PR as she was, there wasn't a thing she could come up with to make anyone who saw the blood and gore feel like it was supposed to happen.

Qrow levelled the man with a look of pity. "I don't know if I can set it. He's losing too much blood." And the pain would kill him remained unsaid.

"Get Jaune. If he has any aura left, he should be able use his aura to help." Blake said.

Ruby nodded and sped off, shutting the door behind her. Weiss flicked the chamber on her rapier, thinking. "Will ice help with the pain?"

"Yeah. Just a little would be enough." Qrow beckoned Yang forward. "Hold him down while I take a closer look."

The man kept sobbing, not that anyone would blame him. Weiss didn't think fresh graduates from other Kingdoms had experienced the invasion and subsequent annihilation of their school, let alone this vicious of a flesh wound.

Dust winked out of existence as she combined it with a glyph. A small shard of ice, palm sized, was handed over to the waiting Qrow.

"Thanks, Ice queen."

"Runs in the family," Yang said at the look on Weiss' face.

The rest of their motley group came thundering through the doors a second later. "Cavalry's here!" Nora yelled. Ren shushed her with a shake of his head. "Right, you need a healer, not a horses." Oscar took one look at the scene and backed against the wall, green-faced.

"Can you help him, Jaune?" Ruby asked. Her face was pinched with worry.

"I can try." He didn't sound sure, but bent down to look at the grisly wound. He didn't stutter excuses or look like he was about to faint. Weiss could see with suddenly clarity the outline of the man he would become. It fascinated her. He had come a long way since his first day, strutting around in that disgusting onesie.

"Jaune? You ok?" Nora asked, jolting Jaune from wherever his head had been. He sucked in a breath and nodded. "Yeah, Nora. I'm just gathering my aura," he said.

Weiss could see the light tremble in his arm as he slowly moved his hand over the wound. The memory of his confession reared its head. Jaune had been telling the truth. He'd considered his act of saving her a fluke.

Weiss could relate. Growing up and seeing Winter excel at everything including summoning, she'd nursed the fear she would never be able to do the same. And she'd thought so for a long time.

' _All he needs is a firm, guiding hand,'_ Pyrrha's voice whispered.

Weiss moved behind him and gently placed her hand on his shoulder. He didn't turn around, but his arm gradually stopped shaking. "You've done this before," she said. "You can do it again."

Everyone flinched as light flared and Jaune's semblance activated. They watched spellbound as the gruesome mess of blood and flesh knit itself together. Qrow pushed the protruding bone into his arm, eliciting an agonized moan from the man. Once Jaune's aura pulled back there was nothing but a slip of pink flesh scarring his tanned arm.

"Ya might want to leave for this." Qrow said as he tightened his grasp around the still oddly bent arm. Nobody moved. He sighed and gave a half-grin. "Nosy kids." He shunted the bones back into place.

The man's shriek would have been terrifying had the screech of Manticores not sounded simultaneously. They were out of the tunnel and the flock of furious Grimm had returned for vengeance.

A bone-chilling roar echoed above them. "Didn't we just kill that thing?" Ruby muttered.

"I guess Sphinx's hunt in pairs," Qrow answered, wiping his hands on his shirt. He gave the arm a firm pat. "Here we go. Good as new." Another furious roar rattled the carriage and the man's eyes rolled back. He slumped to the ground with a whimper, unconscious.

"Jaune, help carry him to the front. Ren, calm the passengers or the Grimm will never stop coming. Nora, stay with him and help get everyone into the front carriages while we deal with our new guests." Ruby instructed. At their affirmative nods, she took off after her Uncle, the air filled by the grind of Crescent's oiled gears as her scythe snapped to attention.

"You guys hold down the fort. C'mon Blake, let's go." Yang rushed after her sister, Blake trailing behind her. They disappeared up the ladder, flakes of snow swirling gently onto the ground. Oscar followed with a frazzled, "Wait for me!"

Nora placed both hands on her hips, looking contemplative. "It was cooler when Ruby said it," she decided.

"Every dog shall have its day." Weiss said, and smirked as Ren covered his grin.

Before she could follow her teammates, a voice called out, "Weiss, wait." She turned to see Jaune smiling gratefully. "Thanks. You really helped me back there."

Weiss' head dipped, almost shyly. "It's what anyone would have done."

"Yeah, but…" Nora poked his back and he blinked owlishly, hesitating. Weiss blinked in shock when he leaned in and pecked her on the cheek. "For good luck. Get out there and do your thing."

"O-Of course," she sputtered and flung herself up the ladder, climbing as swiftly as her stubborn heels would allow. A part of her felt guilty for stealing what she viewed as another's credit. But the louder, more vocal part was doing cartwheels between her ribcage, and she wanted it to stop before she moved into full on cardiac arrest.

 _I could take on a Goliath with my bare hands._ Weiss thought giddily. _But I'll settle for a Manticore._

The frigid slap of the air wasn't enough to stem her admittedly idiotic joy, but seeing Yang almost get punted off the train by a fledging Manticore was. Yang looked similarly pissed. Steam wafted off her as she ducked under vicious peck and punched the Grimm hard enough to send it spiralling in forest below. The smell of burnt feathers made Weiss' nose wrinkle.

"Burn, baby, burn!" Yang cheered.

It was appropriate then, that the Sphinx Ruby and Qrow slaughtered spewed a fireball so vicious even Yang flinched at the sight of it. Grimm nature shone through in its intent to wreak havoc even in the throes of death. The ball of burning sulphur impacted the rails with a sizzling sound like wet meat on a pan, and Weiss' world rocked beneath her feet. Her body flipped and she was tumbling, turning, rag-dolled in mid-air before everything went–

* * *

Ruby's cold fingers ghosting over her forehead made her jerk awake. "C-Cold." Weiss rubbed her shoulders, teeth chattering. She felt mildly warmer when Ruby looped the soft fleece of her red scarf around her neck. It smelled of roses.

"It's a little wet. I found it in the snow," Ruby said apologetically. "Is everyone okay?"

"My ears are freezing."

Yang nudged her partner. "Which?"

"Both." Blake rubbed her hands. She crept closer to Yang, hoping to steal some heat. "Yang, semblance."

"At your service, milady." There was a yellow flash as her semblance flared, a wave of heat melting the snow in her immediate vicinity. She tapped her boots in the puddle. "Anyone thirsty?"

"Not really the time for jokes," Qrow sighed. Beside him, Oscar sneezed. The chain hooking the Relic to his belt snapped. There a soft crunch as it hit the ground and rolled. The boy didn't notice. It's descent down the elevated ground slowed to a stop when it hit a snow mound, unearthly blue flickering like candles whipped by an unseen winds.

Weiss tried to spread her aura to ward off the cold, but all that answered was a small burst before it promptly fizzled out. The crash had been awful, no surprise her aura had taken the full brunt of it. Weiss pushed herself off the ground and trudged towards the derailed train carriage.

"What are you doing?" Ruby asked, trailing after her.

"I want to check if my things are still intact," Weiss replied as she pried the doors open.

"We're here already?" A wizened old voice like sandbags wheezed. "Wait a second. This isn't Argus! I want a refund on my ticket."

Yang threw up her hands. "This _can't_ get any worse."

"Really, Sis?" Ruby sighed. "Blake, tell her."

"You jinxed us, Yang. You jinxed us."

"Please. What's gonna happen out here? I mean, a snowstorm could be one thing, but the weather seems pretty damn clear." Yang's gaze flicked over the dismayed faces surrounding her. "What did I say?"

Weiss gathered her things, having completely given up. But as Yang had said, the worse thing they could encounter was a snowstorm. The prospect of encountering more Grimm was concerning, but they could take care of themselves. After all they'd gone through, it would take more than that to bring their spirits down.

Yang rescued Bumblebee from its freezing prison beneath a sheet of snow and soothed it with heated hands and calming words. "Great. We've also got an defenceless old lady to look after."

"I could shave that mane off your scalp before you could blink!" The old lady declared, "Maria Calvera has reflexes quicker than even the fastest bolt of lightning."

Weiss ignored the spotty old bat mouthing off in third person and lugged her baggage out of the upturned carriage. Thank oum she'd invested in an anti-shock suitcase. She couldn't afford to waste dust in an accidental explosion.

"What's wrong, Oscar?" Blake regarded the boy with curiosity as he vigorously threw up handfuls of snow, his expression that of thinly veiled panic.

"The lamp. Where's the lamp?" She blinked at the low tenor of his normally pitched voice. "My apologies, Miss Belladonna. Oscar seems to have lost the relic. It would be dangerous to let it out of our sight."

Oscar's expression twisted, and Blake realised he'd wrested control from the headmaster. "The lamp …" His eyes narrowed, "T-The lamp attracts Grimm," he spat.

Qrow stepped forward, his expression solemn. Whatever alcohol he had ingested clearly wore off, leaving the man's normally glazed eyes looking like abnormally sharp flints. "Care to explain, Oz?" he said, carefully. "This is the first I've heard of it."

"I didn't think it was important. The Grimm would have been attacked regardless of if we possessed the relic."

"I mean. He's not wrong? We keep getting attacked, so is this a cause and effect thing or just us being unlucky twerps?" Ruby said, brushing the snow off the relic. "Headmaster Ozpin. I found it!"

"Very good. Now hand it over before anything untoward happens." Weiss stomped up to the man inhabiting the farmhand's body. She didn't like the tone he took nor the condescending way he tried to squirm out of the fact he'd been caught lying. Red handed, she might add.

"You said there would be no more lies," Weiss accused, her patented Schnee glare out in full force. "What do you call your cover up of the Relic's true power, then?"

"It's simply a side effect of it's creation," Oscar sighed. "I am truly sorry I did not tell any of you. I'd hoped not to cause a panic."

"Regardless of your position as our ex-headmaster, we have a duty to be notified of such important details." Oscar flinched, and she took a satisfied step back. "I think Ruby should hold on to the relic for now."

Ruby shot her partner a conflicted smile. "Er, if you say so."

Oscar turned toward her, expression dark. "No, I will not allow–" His body froze in place. Everyone eyed him warily, listening to the pained grunts that split the frozen air. Qrow in particular had sensed the change earlier than the rest. He'd closed the distance between Oscar and his niece, one hand stretched out protectively in front of her.

"H-He doesn't w-want you to know," Oscar choked out. His body shook harder, two souls warring over a single mortal's body. "Say h-her name, Ruby. J-Jinn." Qrow kicked up a wave of snow as the boy lunged at her with sudden ferocity. "NO!"

Ruby's voice echoed over the plain. "Jinn?"

And then everything they knew turned to ash.


	6. Chapter 6: Melt

**Melt**

* * *

Murmurs rippled through the station as the Argus Limited approached with a thick curtain of smoke billowing from its hind. Station staff traded looks of confusion. The gathering crowd flinched when the blackened rump erupted in a shower of sparks. As the once glamorous train wheezed to stop, a final sputter of sound signalling it's defeat, its automatic doors slid open.

Jaune stuck his head out and stared down at the frightened crowd. He froze under the sea of eyes. "Um," he began slowly, stepping out fully to reveal the injured man on his back. "We were attacked by Grimm."

The station exploded in chaos. Guards bordered the train to evacuate passengers as Team JNR were surrounded and taken away.

"There hasn't been this terrible of an attack in a long time," someone said as they were escorted through the busy station. "Did you catch a look at the train? They must've encountered so many of those damned Grimm. Even the overhead guns were torn off."

"First Beacon Academy, now this. I wonder what's going to happen to us if … that aquatic _demon_ arrives on our shores," another person said, face tight with worry. "The Atlas military better–"

The conversation was cut off as other security staff joined the rapidly growing cell surrounding them. Jaune swallowed. He wished Ruby's uncle was here with his snarky confidence. He would have known what to do.

Jaune extinguished the thought as fear lanced through him. No, the more help Team RWBY had while they were stranded, the better their chances.

It had taken all of his willpower not to jump out of the train when the back carriage had dismantled. What stopped him from taking the leap was the thought of leaving his team behind. He would never abandon them as long as he breathed.

 _Team RWBY will be fine,_ he repeated, the lump in his throat growing painful, _Qrow and Ozpin will definitely protect them._

They passed an first aid station and Jaune handed off the unconscious hunter. The staff on duty had taken one look at the comatose man and jumped to their feet. As the man was whisked away, Jaune knew the man had a long road of recovery ahead of him. He could've died in battle with Grimm. It wasn't the kind of revelation people swallowed easily – trained or not.

Jaune pitied him. He'd been in a bad place after Beacon, if it weren't for his friends, he wasn't confident he would have survived. The problem with inner demons was that you'd never knew if they were there. Feeding you with honeyed words, coaxing your spirit into a slow descent.

Their entourage continued through the station and drew stares from all sorts. Kids pointed with stubby fingers while adults gave sly side glances. The whole situation unnerved him. Jaune was suddenly thankful for the tall security detail that boxed them in, preventing prying eyes from catching anything but short glimpses.

Time dragged into infinity until they reached the opposite end of the station, one entrance barred by a thick metal door. Red trimmed words screamed ' _Employees Only'_ and they stood stark against the grey surface.

"I suspect we might be here for a while," Ren said. Nora yawned and rubbed her eyes.

"How are you feeling?" Jaune asked.

Ren gave him a crooked grin. "Bad."

They had spent an entire night guarding the train. Ren had gotten the short end of the stick due to his semblance. His aura reserves were probably empty by now. It didn't help when the passengers would rile themselves up every hour or so until they reached Argus.

Jaune could tell Ren was running on little more than fumes. He frowned and glanced at the solemn faces around him, considering his options. Another look at Ren's haggard face made him gather his courage.

"Not to be rude," he spoke out, "But my teammate needs to get help as soon as possible."

The two men in front exchanged looks. After a silent standoff (were there comm devices in those chunky helmets, he wondered) the taller one nodded and said, "We only need one of you to give a statement."

Jaune nodded. "That would be me." He forcefully shafted the building anxiety in his stomach. It was funny how he could face off Grimm without batting an eye while the thought of being stuck in a room full of strangers made him break out in cold sweat.

"Get those two to some help," the shorter man ordered, earning a couple of compliant grunts from the guards around them. Nora supported Ren with her shoulder as they left, but she didn't forget to give Jaune's hand a comforting squeeze.

"Don't take too long, you hear?" Nora's smile briefly chased the shadows in her eyes.

One man clapped his shoulder after they had left. It took all Jaune had not to grimace. "The head's office is this way. The sooner we get to the bottom of this, the faster you can get back to your friends."

"Thank you, sir."

The answering laugh was gruff, but kind. "What is Remnant coming to when a couple of kids had to keep people from falling apart?"

Jaune recalled Emerald's illusion, a towering pillar of midnight with beady eyes and skin like moonlight. A Grimm in human flesh, possibly responsible for the monsters that stalked Remnant. It should have been every human's night terror, the bogeyman under their beds. But not a single soul outside their group knew she existed.

He gave the older man a tight smile. _"_ You don't want to know."

* * *

It was only when he stepped out of the office that Jaune allowed himself to unwind. His shoulders ached, his legs were suffering from an acute case of needle like jolts and his mind was blank. The head security officer had left no stone unturned during questioning. Jaune was also sure he'd been recorded the entire time.

But the worst part had been when he was asked to confirm his identity. He had the proper papers but the man insisted, very aggressively, on calling a family member to confirm it. Jaune could guess how Saphron felt when she picked up her scroll and heard, "We are calling to confirm the details involving your next of kin, Jaune Arc."

His others sisters would inevitably find out, but Jaune did _not_ want his mother finding knowing about this. The extensive and emotionally draining talk they'd had after the fall of Beacon had been more than enough for this lifetime.

Jaune cradled his head, thinking. _Saphron is going to expect answers._ _I better get my story straight before we meet._

He doubted he'd tell her the entire truth. Reality was stranger than fiction, she'd sooner believe a white lie than his explanations of how his school's headmaster was sharing a body with a farm boy from Mistral, and how he and his friends were planning to gather magical relics to save the world from an evil witch bent on destroying humanity. Jaune chortled at the absurdity of his thoughts. _Yeah_

He descended the flight of stairs beside the office. A guard posted at the door gave him a kindly smile and let him through. When he set foot into the gargantuan inner station, he noticed less people milling about. On a whim he glanced up at the holographic train timetable and balked.

' **All trains to Mistral have been suspended until further notice. Please check with the nearest ticket booth to obtain your refund** _._ **We are thankful for your understanding.** _'_

 _Yikes,_ he thought, _I'm glad I wasn't here to watch that shitstorm._

Lightly fiddling with the hem of his jacket, Jaune walked briskly towards the first aid station. The silhouettes of two familiar figures calmed the anxious tumble of his innards and he approached them with a relieved smiles. Ren looked much better, his face no longer exhausted and drawn. Nora's usual bounce had also returned. She'd resumed talking Ren's ear off as per usual.

"Oh, you're back!" Nora leaped off the chair and squished him with a backbreaking hug.

"Let him breathe, Nora."

Jaune hacked his lungs out as soon as he was let go. Less than a minute and he was already winded by her enthusiasm. "T-Thanks. Glad to see you're both feeling better."

Nora nodded vigorously. "I don't know what they gave him, but it really helped! The pill was huge, almost the size of my thumb! Too bad I couldn't get one."

"I guess they're supplied from the nearby Atlas base," Jaune explained, "They can't give it to just anyone."

"You've been here before?" Ren asked.

Jaune rubbed his head. "Well… my sister and her wife lives here. She'll be coming to pick us up. I'm supposed to get call from her any minute now," he said. His scroll vibrated on cue. He looked at his teammates. "Er, I know it goes without saying, but remember to keep a lid on our plans."

"Aw!"

"Of course we will," Ren assured.

Jaune smiled gratefully. "Thanks, guys. I don't want to worry her." He swiped the icon on his scroll and waited for the _beep_ of the line successfully connecting to say, "Hey Saphron. It's Jaune."

"Hey sorry but I need to pick Adrian from day-care, you'll have to find your way to the house on your own. Terra's still at work and I'll be back as soon as I can to unlock the door. I sent the address to your scroll so wait there seeyoulaterloveyoubye!"

He blinked. _At least she didn't ask about what happened earlier._ "Change of plans. Are you two are up for some sightseeing?"

Nora pumped her fists. "Hell yeah! Watch out Argus, it's time to meet your new queen!"

Ren and Jaune sighed in unison. Still, it was nice to see her enjoying herself instead of moping. A happy Nora was a great Nora.

* * *

"Wow! It's crazy that this place is considered part of Mistral," Nora commented as she watched the scenery whizz by. Ren rested his arm on the open window frame of the streetcar and gave her a small smile. "This is one of the largest non-capital cities on Remnant. I know you've always wanted to come here," he said.

"Yeah! The orphanage used to have guidebooks in the waiting room. The only thing I remembered was the part about a dedicated pancake shop being here." Nora said, looking like she'd struck the jackpot.

"It might not be here anymore," Jaune piped up, not looking up from the pamphlet. Good thing he'd nabbed some from the station. One was on the Argus Limited while the rest were guides to Argus itself. The one he was reading talked about the best eateries and restaurants in the port city. "Wait, never mind. It's called Gertude's Flapjacks and it's two streets away from my sister's house."

"If I miss it while we're here, I'll never forgive myself." Nora sighed, the whimsical note to her voice making him grin. "Too bad I didn't get lien from Ruby's drunkle or we could be having some right now."

"You shouldn't call him that," Ren chided. "He'll stop giving us allowances."

"Ruby said it was funny," Nora snickered.

Jaune let his mind wander. It felt surreal that they had finally reached Argus. When his sister moved here years ago, all he could think about was how amazing it must have felt. In a new city where no one knew or cared who you were. The old him had craved that anonymity.

Everyone in his home town saw him as the failure. Oh, they were polite on the surface. But whatever they said eventually reached his father's ears, prompting harsh lectures, disappointed sighs and derisive looks. Ultimately, Saphron's decision to move had inspired him to take a chance at Beacon.

The streetcar rolled to a stop near the landmark his sister had described. Jaune tapped Ren's shoulder and got off. Nora retrieved their luggage placed above the seats and carried them down. When she turned back, she noticed the admiring looks sent her way. Nora gladly played along, flexing her arms and throwing outlandish poses for her delighted spectators.

There was a wave of laughter and cat calls. Each curl and flex of her arm was enviable. They were steel cables, pure, distilled muscle. Her non-pancake diet consisted heavily of protein and with the copious amounts of recipes Ren stored in his head, one could say she ate like a queen at every meal.

Ren slipped his bag over his shoulders. "Which direction are we headed?"

"We need to get off the main street. Saphron's house is deeper in," Jaune said. He turned to Nora, who was still posing for her fans. "She's converting people over already."

"Indeed… I'm jealous of how easily she takes to a new place." Ren watched her with a fond smile playing on his lips. "She was never been outgoing as a kid. How the tables have turned."

"Nora!" Jaune called, "Get over here."

She waved vigorously at the streetcar as it chugged away. "At your service, vomit boy!"

Jaune made a face, and they shared a laugh. With baggage on hand, Jaune navigated them through the slowly filling streets. He noticed there were less faunus here. After spending so much time around them in Mistral's main city, their absence felt pronounced.

Atlas had a stronger presence here, so he understood. But it didn't make things feel any better. He imagined how Blake would take to this place when Team RWBY arrived and grimaced.

They crossed one road, then another, until Jaune stopped in front of a row of large houses. Nora let out awed squeals as they walked through the neighbourhood. Three blocks later, they found the home they were looking for.

Jaune made sure the bronzed numbers of the door matched the ones in his sister's message. "That's the one."

"Your sister must be swimming in lien! It's huge!" Ren calmed Nora with a touch. She deflated somewhat but the gleam in her eyes gave away her immense excitement.

"Her wife is some kind of technician. They make enough to be comfortable, that's for sure."

"Oh. I thought your family would have paid for all of this," Nora gestured at the property.

"It's a nice dream. But my Dad's not one to do stuff like this. He champions independence. Once we're finished with school, we're on our own."

"Eh, parents. What can you do?" Saphron bounced up to them, smiling widely. "Hi, you must be Jaune's teammates. Welcome to Argus."

"Oh my gosh, she looks just like you! But scrawnier, like when you first joined Beacon," Nora froze as she caught sight of the tiny human nestled in Saphron's arms. "You have a kid! Can I pinch his cheeks?!"

"Enthusiastic. I like it!"

"Hey sis. Long time no see," Jaune greeted with a weak smile. Now that she was in front of him, he was reminded about the call earlier today. She was the type to attack when least expected and he couldn't help but agonize over when she would bring it up.

"I'd never thought I see the day when you gained muscles." Saphron chortled. She left her son with Nora to unlock the door. "My little beansprout's so big now."

Jaune groaned. "You're embarrassing me."

"Hah, then it means I've done my job."

"You're resembling Mom more than ever."

Saphron mock gasped. "Take that back! I'm still young and hip and hate knitted sweaters."

"Nope. In fact, I see a couple of wrinkles on your– EEK!" She caught him in a headlock and mussed his hair. Jaune tried to bat her away, but she proved flexible enough to maneuver out of his strike zone. "Uncle, uncle!" he wailed.

Nora hoisted the little boy onto her shoulders. "Should we stop them, Ren?"

He shook his head. "Jaune looks like he's having fun." He smiled up at the boy and said, "Hi there. I'm Lie Ren, she's Nora Valkyrie."

The boy burbled cutely, his eyes sparkling like gems.

"Aw, he's adorable. Ren, I want a kid."

Ren tripped on their luggage and landed ass first on the pavement. He sighed as Nora and the boy giggled among themselves. His cheeks pinked in embarrassment, but it was hard to stay annoyed in the face of such adorableness. It helped that the boy was also awfully cute.

"Alright, kids. I'll give you the grand tour." Saphron had her hands on her hips, glowering with victory. Jaune sulked behind her and tried to straighten his unruly hair. "C'mere, Adrian. I'll carry you inside."

* * *

Hostile winds whipped against the window panes. The crackle of the fireplace masked the thin howls that slipped through. Streets had emptied as everyone sane had retreated to their homes.

Terra arrived at the house armed with groceries amidst the terrible weather. Saphron could see the tremble in her wife's shoulders and greeted her with a quick kiss. She wrestled the bags away and escaped into the kitchen. Nora let Adrian go and the room watched as he stumbled to his mother. The woman smiled fondly, giving him a hug.

"You must be Terra," Jaune greeted. He'd heard stories about his sister's wife, but this was his first time truly meeting her. She seemed reserved, but considering how bubbly Saphron was, their two personalities likely balanced each other out.

"And you must be the brother I've heard so much about," she said, smiling as she grasped Jaune's offered hand.

He blushed and scratched his head. "Nothing bad, I hope?"

"Mostly stories of your sisters playing house and forcing you into dresses." Jaune groaned and covered his face. Of course she would know about his sordid childhood. "And these are your… ?"

"Teammates!" Nora darted forward to shake her hand. Terra was stunned by her enthusiasm but defaulted into calm politeness a second later. "Your son is the cutest thing ever!"

"Adrian takes after his other mother," she said. From the kitchen, Saphron called out, "He's cute because he's our son!" Terra rolled her eyes fondly and continued, "I suppose I can't argue with that logic. He received the best from both of us. So how do I address you two?"

"She's Nora and I'm Ren. Thank you for letting us stay here."

Jaune came up behind him, patting his back. "My sister already said it was no big deal. You worry too much."

"Are you two dating?" Terra asked, her joking tone lost on them when they rapidly paled. Before either could react, Nora slid her arms around Ren's waist. "I think you mean are you three dating," she added coyly.

"Nora, don't give her the wrong idea!" He ignored Nora's snort of laughter. "You got it wrong, Terra. We're just friends."

"You're too easy to tease, Jaune." Saphron said as she approached them with a tray with mugs of hot chocolate. She ushered them into the living room, letting them commandeer the largest couch.

"Har, har," he grumbled. Jaune settled into his seat with the mug in his hands. It'd been a long time since he felt truly comfortable. Maybe it was the purple satin curtains or the antique bookshelves that made him feel like he was home again. Saphron could deny all she wanted but she had more similarities to their mother out of all seven siblings.

"I remember you saying you'd get a girlfriend after you left home. What happened?" Saphron joked.

Jaune's grip tightened. He kept his expression steady, feeling the burn of his teammate's gazes. Thank oum he'd already foreseen that his sister would ask about his love life. "Beacon kept me busy. I flat out sucked so I had to play catch up."

"I was shocked when you told us you got accepted. I mean, Beacon Academy! Everyone dreams of attending that school," Saphron said. "Even Terra wanted to when she was younger."

"Unfortunately, I hadn't attended combat school." Terra sipped at her chocolate. "Without a foundation, the chances of an application being shortlisted is extremely slim. Which is why I was surprised to hear you'd gotten in. Saphron said you attended civilian school, together with the rest of your sisters."

"H-Haha, I guess I was lucky?" Nora snickered. Jaune glared, but it only served to make her grin wider. "I have my team to thank for easing me into it, though. Team RWBY helped out a lot too."

Saphron frowned at the mention of his other friends. She'd spent the entire afternoon prodding him for answers. Since the Grimm attack had already made the evening news, Jaune had no choice but to tell her what happened. He'd left out certain questionable parts, of course. He didn't have the stomach to visualize the arm wound and he doubted she would.

"Are your friends going to be alright?" Saphron asked, "The incident must have been terrifying. It's is the first time the train was attacked so viciously. Even part of the railroad was destroyed."

"You mean the Argus Limited?" Terra sounded shocked. "Oh no. Don't tell me you were…" she shook her head. "I'm sorry you had to go through that."

"It wasn't that bad. We got to kick a ton of butt."

"Nora's right," Jaune interrupted quickly "It was only when the larger Grimm got involved that things became crazy. Besides, I think Team RWBY will be fine. They were one of the top teams at Beacon, and something as stupid as being stranded won't stop them."

Ren patted his back, and it reminded him to breathe. Jaune's mind cleared and he winced at the piercing stare his sister directed at him. _So much for keeping cool._

Terra clapped her hands together. "With such a long day, I'm sure you three must be starved. How about I make dinner?" Adrian shuffled excitedly in her arms. He gurgled happily, breaking the tension in the room. "I'll get you some milk. You'd like that wouldn't you?" she cooed.

"I can help if you'd like," Ren offered. Nora nodded, pointing at him with both hands. "He's a whiz in the kitchen! He cooks for us all the time."

Terra laughed. "I'd better learn a thing or two."

They left the living room, Adrian stumbling after them. Saphron immediately took the empty seat beside him. Jaune shrank away from her.

"You're still worried, aren't you?" Saphron kept her voice soft. He recalled her using it when they came across an injured animal with its leg jammed between the fence.

"… yeah."

"You don't need to put on a strong front. No one will blame you for feeling this way." Jaune grunted. Saphron put her arm around him and continued, "We could try getting help. The military stationed here might be from Atlas, but they're still responsible for the safety of Argus' citizens. Terra and I could kick up a fuss."

"Team RWBY might be back by the time they organize a search party," he protested. She folded her arms, a single eyebrow rising. He deflated and hunched over to rest his elbows on his knees. "Fine, we'll go first thing in the morning. _If_ the snowstorm lets up." _And I guess we could also ask about General Ironwood._ "Anything else you want to force me into?"

"Sarcastic little imp." Saphron gently bonked him on the head. "Since you asked so nicely, yes. Write a letter to Dad."

"You're joking. What for?" Jaune couldn't believe it. Back when he'd called his mother, she'd mentioned nothing about his father wanting to speak to him. So what changed? He was just glad his parents were stuck in Vale. There would be no danger of one-on-one talks without the CCT.

"I wouldn't know, but Mom mentioned it in the letter she sent last week," Saphron scoffed. "Can you believe it? Going from instant scroll messaging to handwritten letters? I would love to smack the bastards that destroyed the Vale tower."

Jaune's smile was sharp. "Me too."

"Anyway, it is what it is. Just write about what you went through. You and your friends stopped over at Haven, right? Tell him about the culture there. Or the food! I know you must have stuffed yourself silly. You always loved snacking. If not, you could just tell him all about the pretty girls you saw. Mistral women are hot," she winked.

 _There's only one girl for me,_ he thought. The face in his mind flickered between them and he shook his head. Weiss had been ridiculously patient with him so far, but he wasn't sure how long it would last. "Why should I write him a letter? He'll just reply with how I failed to become a Hunter. He'd probably force me to come home."

"You make him out to be some kind of monster." When Jaune stayed silent, Saphron sighed. "I know he's hard on you. But trust me, he only wants to help you reach your full potential."

"By putting me down?"

"I'd admit he did a shitty job at motivating us. Heck, he told me I was going come running home when I first moved out here. But I proved him wrong, and he let me do what I wanted after that." His sister shrugged. "He doesn't show it, but he wants the best for us. Especially for you. You're his only son."

Jaune felt a headache coming on. "What am I going to say? Nothing I did made him happy. It isn't as if anything's changed." _Hey Dad, you were right. I'm useless. I'm one broken shoelace away from throwing myself off a cliff._

Saphron placed a hand on his shoulder. "You can't avoid him forever. Writing even a paragraph would be great." He turned away. "Please, Jaune?"

Pinned under Saphron's pleading gaze, Jaune could only accept his inevitable fate. "Fine."

"Thank you." Saphron dropped a kissed on his forehead. "Remember, little brother. It's for your own good."

* * *

Terra and Ren teaming up was the best thing to happen to their stomachs. Nora would have inhaled all the food if Jaune hadn't stopped her. He'd been split between shovelling food into his mouth and defending his plate from his sister's grubby hands. How she was considered an adult, he would never know.

Jaune retreated into his guest room after dinner. Not by choice, Saphron had thrown him multiple puppy-eyed stares until he left in a huff of exasperation. He suspected she wanted seconds from the way she'd been eyeing the leftovers. She'd won the war in the end. That sister of his was truly cunning, and her reward would be what should have been his rightful extras. Jaune mourned its loss.

He slouched at the desk, a pen and sheet of paper resting before him. He'd already written the appropriate pleasantries. It was the actual content that his mind refused to conjure up.

' **I'm sure Mom kept you updated, but my team and I have been trying to'**

He crossed it out. His father wouldn't care for such blaise information. He tapped his pen on the desk, chewing on his lower lip. Maybe writing about the battle with Tyrian would be better?

' **Ruby's uncle was poisoned and'** he crossed it out quickly. His mother would be beside herself with terror if she'd read it. He cradled his head, annoyed. He would think himself to death at this rate.

The paper mocked him with it's blank surface. He scowled at it and dug the tip of his pen deep enough to leave a hole. After what seemed like hours, he glanced at the clock. Only twenty minutes. This cruel revelation made Jaune throw his hands up. "Screw this."

What he needed was nice, stress free night and he'd vomit out whatever Saphron wanted him to write. Hopefully. "Tomorrow. I promise," he said aloud.

Going through his scroll as he lay on the bed, his eyes lingered on his contacts. It was fairly limited, and he realised he hadn't added Weiss. He made a note to ask the next time he saw her.

He kept his gaze leveled at the blank bars beside Ruby's picture, silently praying that it would fill with colour. They had to be safe. Qrow and Ozpin were with them. All he needed to do was trust in them and wait.

 _Stay safe, guys._ He stared at his scroll until his eyes drooped and he fell asleep.

* * *

 _AN:_

 _Thank you guys for all the reviews so far. It really motivates me to keep writing. I'm happy that people are entertaining this insane fic, lmao. We have well and truly deviated from Vol 6 after this, as I have the ending planned out already. I bet you guys know what it involves, but I hope I can still surprise you._

 _Thanks for reading folks! Until the next chapter o7_


	7. Chapter 7: Reforged pt 1

**Reforged pt 1**

* * *

The splendorous flatland seemed to stretch out forever. The road was cradled by carpets of green on each side, a comforting illusion. Weiss rested her back against the side of the cart, basking in the breeze. Combined with the low thrum of the motorcycle and the even cadence of her breathing, her mind began to drift.

It was then Qrow mutilated the peaceful air with the aftermath of his coping mechanism. He turned on his side in a drunken stupor, his groan weaved with death. Weiss unwilling pried her eyelids open. _So much for enjoying a short nap_.

Seated opposite of her and directly behind him, Ruby's hand crept forward. It hovered over his shoulder. Sorrow flashed in her dull silver eyes and her hand retreated, disappearing into her cloak. Ruby buried her face in her knees and made no other movement.

Her position gave her the appearance of a ladybug. Weiss held her breath, seized by the thought of Ruby taking off into the sky. She let go once she realized the absurdity of it. Ruby would sooner serve herself up to devils than abandon someone. Unwilling to continue that train of thought, Weiss looked away.

Blake and Maria faced each other in the middle of the cart, both minding their own business. Blake looked uneasy, feline ears drooped in a way that made Weiss want to rub them between her fingers. From the way she glanced at the broad back curtained by golden hair, her melancholy was likely related to Yang.

Weiss felt the urge to intervene, but without any context on the situation, she grudgingly held her tongue. Still, it unnerved her to see them wallow. She had gotten used to hearing Blake make small talk with Yang, pouncing on every pause, dip and stutter in conversation.

Weiss glanced at the back of the cart. _And who could forget the cause of our shattered spirits?_ Oscar's upper body hung over the edge of the wooden cart as he watched the scenery go by. He seemed to be dozing, but his head would turn to follow birds scattering into the air when the cart chugged by.

Her throat welled in disgust when she set her eyes on him, but she fought it down with every ounce of empathy she was able to leverage for his circumstance. Oscar hadn't chosen to host Ozpin's soul. It was true her friends had lost more on this quest, but it was not her place to judge whose suffering outranked the another.

Weiss rested her chin on her knees. _Ozpin has brought a whole new meaning to 'playing god'._ The respect and trust she held for him had been hacked into pity and resentment. She looked around her. This was the fruit of his lies. Comeuppance for masquerading their journey as a hero's pilgrimage, when in fact, they were mere puppets in a game dominated by immortal puppet masters.

 _How are we any better than the criminals Salem controls?_

Bumblebee's engine revved. "Wake up sleepyheads. We're nearly there," Yang called. Everyone jerked into action, shifting into presentable positions, save Qrow. He barely stirred. Weiss wasn't surprised. Whatever alcohol he'd refilled his flask with had been potent enough to knock him out after five mouthfuls.

"I'm assuming you're going to contact your friends?" Maria said. "I'd offer my scroll, but I haven't had a comm device in half a decade." Her mechanical eyes shuttered as her body shook with supressed laughter. Weiss regarded her warily.

Ruby had made it clear she trusted the elderly woman, and Weiss didn't question her. She was thankful Ruby had found a mentor to assist in harnessing the power of her silver eyes. But at the end of the day, Maria was still an unknown, and strangers set her teeth on edge.

"My scroll's dead," Blake supplied. Weiss checked hers and groaned. "Mine too."

Ruby held up her own with a triumphant grin. "One bar."

Oscar chuckled. "Our hero," he said, and the budding excitement in the air withered and died. He grimaced and went back to staring at their surroundings.

Ruby's eyes lingered on Qrow. She shook herself from her stupor and quickly set about to testing her scroll's range. Once she was satisfied, she initiated a call and set it on loudspeaker. Unsurprisingly, she'd chosen to call Jaune. It made sense considering his unique position as the other de facto leader.

To Weiss' silent delight, the call went through. "Ruby!? Thank oum, I'm so glad you guys are safe," Jaune's panicked voice came through, spliced by minimal interruptions. Weiss leaned closer, drinking up the voice she'd come to seek even amongst a crowd. "Where are you right now?"

"Almost at Argus," Ruby said. "I think Yang's bringing us in through the cargo entrance. Are you gonna pick us up?"

"We wouldn't miss it." A muffled yell slipped out of the receiver, Jaune's voice returning a beat later. "Nora says she's really glad you're alright."

Ruby giggled. "We're totally fine. Maybe a little hungry."

"Right on time, Ren already started on lunch," Jaune joked. "We'll head to the cargo area once he's done. Anything thing else you need us to bring? What about your luggage?"

They exchanged several more minutes of smalltalk before her scroll beeped. "Darn it, my scroll's almost dead. Alright Jaune, we'll see you there!" The call ended and Ruby stowed her scroll away, clapping her hands together. "Argus! I can't wait to see how it looks like. Aren't you excited?"

"I suppose so," Weiss said.

Ruby tilted her head. "You don't sound eager to be there. Or is something else you're excited for?" Her mischievous grin gave no allusions as to what she was referring to.

Weiss scowled. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"I didn't peg you as the shy type," Blake snickered, "I'm sure you're just dying to sweep Jaune into your arms." Weiss' deadpan stare did nothing to stifle the good humour in the air. Maria cackled and thumped her staff on the cart.

Weiss rolled her eyes. "You people are far too invested in my life." While she abhorred being the butt of a joke, a good natured prodding like this could be overlooked.

"Sorry to interrupt your gossip session," Yang yelled over the wind. "But I see a security detail up ahead. Better get your ID's ready."

"Where's yours, sis?"

"In my back pocket. Don't worry, Rubes."

Qrow suddenly bolted up, eyes wrenched in agony. "Whaz goin' on?" he bumbled. He went slack and fell on top of Ruby, earning a surprised squeak.

As she tried prying him off, Weiss retrieved a tiny bottle of clear, purple liquid from her luggage. She leaned forward and spritzed perfume on his chin. She revelled in his angry snorts and subsequent fumbling as he pushed himself up, vigorously wiping his face on his shirt.

"As a dutiful member of Team RWBY, I thought I would do my part," she said.

"Thanks for nothing."

Weiss preened. "Oh, it was my pleasure."

"Look, we're here!" Ruby exclaimed with exaggerated joy. She subtly wedged herself between them as they traded baleful glares. "I can't wait _not_ get turned away for causing trouble just before we get in!"

Weiss and Qrow let out identical, grumpy huffs before turning away. Weiss found herself wishing Winter had seen this. Her older sister would certainly get a laugh out of it.

* * *

The two teams tackled each other, hugging and laughing like they hadn't seen each other in years. The stilted energy of the journey from Brunswick had been forgotten. It was a burden Weiss was glad to be rid of. She let go of Ren and was accosted by the bundle of pink energy, Nora hoisting her by the waist and spinning her around.

Weiss yelped as the world spun like a loose top. Hearing Ruby's tinkling laugh, Yang's snickers and Blake's quiet chuckles, her instinctive urge to snap in defense was forgotten.

"Catch!" Nora yelled. Weiss was seized with panic at the sudden feeling of weightlessness, until a familiar pair of well-muscled arms caught her.

"Got you," Jaune said, his smile almost blinding.

Weiss flushed. "Too close!" she hissed, unsuccessfully trying to push her way out of his embrace. "And all of you. Stop laughing!"

"The look on your face," Yang trailed off, erupting into full blown cackles. "Someone, tell me you got a picture." Blake's negative affirmation made her turn to her sister. "C'mon Ruby, don't let me down."

Ruby pouted, "I wanted to! But my scroll died when I tried to video Weiss flying into Jaune's chest." A chorus of groans rang out in the cargo area.

Weiss managed to snarl out a "Good riddance!" before her head was tucked securely under Jaune's chin. His arms were firm around her, though not to the point of hurting, and she could hear his heart pulse rapidly under his ribcage.

She quieted. The sound was oddly fascinating. The intimacy of her actions neglected to register. His all-consuming warmth made all thought process cease, and the roar of her own heart drowned the cheerful catcalls their friends directed at them.

"I'm really glad you're okay," he whispered. Weiss' chest went tight with emotion. How had he felt when they'd gone missing? She imagined him sprinting to the back of the train only to find an empty space, the carriage severed.

Weiss pressed her face deeper in his chest. She wanted to extrapolate on her guilt, but words eluded her. She settled on a quiet, "Sorry."

"It's not as if you wanted it to happen," he rebutted. "Let me hug you a little longer? I know you're embarrassed, but …"

Weiss knew her team would use this moment against her for as long as she lived. But it was part of the fun, and she'd more ammo against them than they knew. "Do as you please," she said.

Yang tapped her feet as the hug dragged on. She was happy for Weiss, but it was pretty boring without any mouth on mouth action. Also, she was _really_ hungry. "Does anyone have popcorn?"

"None, but I have biscuits," Ren said. Ruby perked up. "Coffee flavoured," he added, tilting his head in apology.

"Weisssss!" Ruby watched unhappily as Yang ripped opened the plastic and devoured the offered snack. "I'm hungry. Are you two done?"

Jaune let go of Weiss, and the girl stalked over. "Honestly, Ruby. Your stomach's a blackhole."

"You recharged your battery and now it's my turn. Let's hurry and get Ren's lunch. This is an official order from your team leader!"

"I'll get the bags! You're gonna love what Ren cooked. He made potato puffs, bacon, scrambled eggs, pan fried salmon …" Nora swept their luggage onto her shoulders, bouncing on her heels.

Blake clasped her hands together. "Salmon. Thank you."

Qrow stood behind them with folded arms. He'd been tempted to find a bar but at the mention of food, specifically Ren's, anchored him to the spot. Booze tasted better on a full stomach anyway, he reasoned. "Are you kids done with all … this?" He gestured at Weiss and Jaune.

"Let's go before he gets even crankier," Nora mock whispered to Oscar, earning a weak smile.

"Y-Yeah." He hugged himself, imagining a crevice splitting the earth between him and the older man. The look Qrow had given him when they'd arrived at Argus had been chilling. "Where are we going?"

Jaune walked beside him, watching as Weiss and Ruby argued over the best way to cook eggs. Ruby adamanted defending her position, claiming scrambled was the tastiest way of eating them, while Weiss bulldozed her, on the attack to prove poaching eggs was _the_ way to go.

"It's a surprise," Jaune said. "But I think you guys will like it. The house has plenty of guestrooms and a great kitchen. There's also garden at the back, nice and quiet."

Oscar brightened. "That … does sound nice," he murmured.

Once they were out of the cargo area and into the main street, the great egg debate had come to a standstill. Ruby peered at the surroundings with awe, jumping so constantly Weiss feared she would end up on the roof of nearby homes.

Weiss kept her cool, eyeing the scenery and occasionally nodding when Ruby heaped lavish praise on everything she saw. Having lived in Atlas, it was hard to be excited by much. But the architecture here was certainly beautiful. There was a presence about them, almost aristocratic. She wondered if Winter had ever been here.

Argus was clearly influenced by both Atlas and Mistral. The air was rife with good cheer, and people milled about without a care in the world. It almost felt as if she were walking through the streets of Mistral's main city again. Weiss looked over her shoulder, smiling at Jaune. He returned it with a happy nod and a wave.

Weiss blinked when his expression suddenly soured. His eyebrows slanted, his lip curling downward. Confused, Weiss subtly cast wary glances around them. Nothing turned up even after she'd searched the vicinity.

"Blake look, there's a bookshop here." Ruby squealed. "I love this place already!"

A warm chuckle. "I just hope their prices are reasonable," Blake replied, glancing at Ruby. "Let's visit the place once we're settled."

Weiss looked past Blake and finally spotted who Jaune's ire had been directed at. Walking in the opposite direction they were headed, a family of four stared at their group with varying expressions of distaste. It took her less than a second to realize they were staring at Blake.

Her teammate hadn't noticed the scrutiny yet. Like Ruby, she remained enraptured by their surroundings. Yang kept pace beside her, but Weiss didn't think she could get Yang's attention without Blake noticing.

 _Of course Atlas' influence would manifest like this_. Weiss primed herself to draw Blake's attention away if need be.

The family drew close. Weiss could see the lines on the weathered faces of the parents. Their children watched the group with wide eyes, tracking their every movement. She liked children, but they were spitting images of their parents, right down to the unpleasant scowls and beady eyes.

Just as Blake's head turned, where she would be looking directly at them, Yang grasped her arm and pulled her close. Blake made a surprised noise, her shoulders tensing. When it registered it was merely Yang, she relaxed and leaned in.

"What are you doing?"

"Getting out that thing in your hair." Sunlight reflected off her robotic arm. Weiss caught the wince in the adult's faces as they ate the glare head on. "Okay, I got it."

She let go. Blake ducked her head to hide her grin. "Thanks."

Yang shrugged. "No problem, partner." Weiss watched with glee as the parents took one look at Yang's enraged, crimson eyes before gathering their children and darting away.

Weiss felt the nudge of an elbow in her side. "Weiss," Ruby said, "You've got this really big and dopey grin you said a lady shouldn't show in public. I thought I'd let you know."

Weiss sighed fondly. "Dolt. Thank you for telling me."

Behind them, Jaune called out, "Stop at that sign over there. We'll take a streetcar to the house." Qrow grunted and took out a sheaf of notes. "Rides are free before six."

"Good." He shoved it back in his pocket.

"This is gonna be my first time riding one. Are there any streetcars in Atlas, Weiss?" Ruby asked, energetic as ever.

"Not ones like these. Most are operated by artificial intelligence." Weiss watched a large streetcar pull up. It rattled and clanked and huffed as people got off. Their group climbed up from the front, Ruby's cheerful greeting earning her a tip of the hat from the man helming the contraption. The streetcar inched forward, gaining speed until the sign was out sight. "I have to admit these are more fun, however."

"They really are," Ruby agreed.

Jaune's presence beside her drew Weiss' attention, a moth to a flame. She caught him looking at her. Her finely trimmed eyebrow rose. "Am I that interesting to look at?"

"Even if it's rhetorical," he said, "My answer's yes."

"Romantic fool," she teased. Looking out of the glassless windows, she caught sight of something towering in the distance. In front of her, Ruby gasped and exclaimed, "Wow, what is that? It's huge. Some kind of factory, maybe?"

Jaune leaned forward. "Nope, that's Sanctum Academy. Right beside it is the Grand Arena, where they hold fighting tournaments. The winner gets to participate in the main Mistral tournament." His voice wavered and he cleared his throat. "I heard it can seat at a third of Argus' citizens. Pretty impressive, right?"

Weiss felt her face stiffen. Jinn's tale crossed her mind with all the force of lightning striking its target. Ruby had frozen in her seat, an almost comical expression plastered on her face.

The streetcar turned down an intersection, giving them a full frontal view of the large military base. Looking past the single guard post, Weiss' eyes followed the elongated bridge until they reached a pair of metal gates, half as tall as the biggest building they had passed.

Behind her, Nora made a short growling noise that reminded her of Bumblebee's engine. "I hate that stupid place!" she declared.

"What a coincidence. Me too." Maria chimed, disgruntled smile stretching from ear to ear. "Or more accurately, I hate the she-devil who runs that place. Damn you, Cordo…"

Jaune cleared his throat when Weiss pinned him with a questioning stare. "We went to report that you guys were missing. Since we were already there, we also tried asking for General Ironwood. It didn't go well. There was an … incident with the Atlesian specialist in charge of the base, she wouldn't let us in even after we mentioned Ozpin."

"You don't declare your bag of cashews _one_ time, and you're put on the stupid additional screening list. Pah! I'll like to ram that stick up her–"

"Who is she?" Ren asked Weiss, one finger pointed at the elderly woman that had launched into a rant.

Weiss grimaced. They would have to tell Jaune and the others about the revelations the relic had bestowed on them, and Ozpin's past. For once, Weiss harboured no hope about how this would turn out. "We'll explain later," she said. Ren nodded and settled back in his seat.

Jaune must have sensed her change in mood. He continued to talk about the landmarks they passed and answered Ruby's occasional questions, but didn't coax her into conversation. Weiss was grateful. If she'd tried to talk, everything Jinn had showed them would come flooding out.

For now, the dam held. But it was only a matter of time before they reached their accommodations.

 _I wished there was a way around this._ Weiss closed her eyes. The truth would break them or make them stronger. But given how her own team still couldn't fully wrap their heads around it, Weiss dreaded the moment when everything she'd gained would turn to dust.

She recalled the feelings of betrayal whenever she caught sight of Oscar's face, and wondered how Jaune would react once he found out.

* * *

The dam broke after lunch had finished. After a quick exchange with her team, she made the executive decision to recount the entire sequence of events from Jinn's appearance to the horrible punch line – Salem could not be killed. When she had finished, Jaune launched forward and grabbed Oscar by his shirt collar.

"Stop it!" Ruby's cry fell on deaf ears. Oscar gritted his teeth and kicked weakly against Jaune. But the difference in their frame and strength ensured he remained in Jaune's vice grip, pinned against the wall of the stair case.

The insistent press of a sharp corner in his back numbed the fear in his head, and he lifted his chin, eye-level to the pair of stormy blue eyes.

"Pyrrha died for nothing?!" Weiss flinched at Jaune's furious roar. "Answer me, Ozpin!"

"H-He's gone," Oscar pleaded. "Let me go, please, you're hurting me." The frenzied look in Jaune's eyes remained. "Ozpin's gone, so just–"

"And when were you going to tell us about this? He's been in your head the entire time!"

"I didn't know, I swear!"

Weiss gripped his arm. "Let him go Jaune. He's not responsible for the headmaster's mistakes." He whirled on her, snarling like a rabid dog. She countered it with cool contempt. Her hand tightened around his wrist. None were willing to relinquish an inch and it was Nora who interrupted their standout with a tired, "Jaune, please."

Jaune let go. He cradled his head in his hands and fisted a clump of hair in frustration. "I…" he shook his head and stomped out.

Team RWBY watched him slam the door, doing it with such force even Qrow had winced. Blake helped Oscar stand while Yang and Ruby traded looks. Qrow sighed and started up the staircase, fingering his half-empty flask.

"Uncle Qrow," Ruby called, "Where are you going?"

"To sleep," he said. His lazy drawl held a hint of bitterness. "Ozpin didn't say he was coming back. Did he, boy?"

"I can still sense his presence. But it's … small. Dull." Oscar's eyes lowered. "It almost feels as if he was never there."

"Congratulations, your wish came true," Qrow said. Oscar flinched. "We're done here. All of you should decide what to do next. I suggest you kids head back to Vale or Mistral. With Beacon's destruction, the Academies there ought to take you in."

"Why are you talking like that? We still need to get to Atlas." Ruby folded her arms and her eyes darted around the room. Nora and Ren couldn't meet her gaze and Qrow let out another exhausted sigh. He continued up the stairs. "Guys?" she said, turning to her own team.

"… I think everyone needs time to think." Yang placed a hand on her shoulder. "We can't force them into something they don't want."

"Yeah," Nora shrugged. "Besides, Ren and I won't make a decision without Jaune." They followed in Qrow's footsteps up the stairs, and that was that.

Weiss rubbed her arms. How the events had unfolded hadn't exactly surprised her. She had expected Jaune to act out but … the viciousness of his actions still took her by surprise.

 _I thought I was prepared._ _How foolish._ To find out someone you cared for had died for nothing, Weiss couldn't begin to imagine what he must feel.

"I'm going for a walk." Oscar said, suddenly. "If I don't come back…" he shook his head. Giving all of them a pained smile, he turned and left. Ruby watched helplessly as he followed Jaune's footsteps out of the house. His slouching figure gave rise to pity in Weiss' heart. From the look on Blake's face, she surmised the other girl felt the same.

"Weiss … do you think you could try talking to Jaune?"

The forlorn expression on Ruby's face amplified the ache in her chest. "Of course. If I manage to find him, I promise to do my utmost to convince him." Weiss shut her eyes. "We can only hope for the best."

Yang tugged Weiss forward. Ignoring her yelp, Yang squished her sister and her obnoxious teammate together until Ruby protested.

"Yang, what was that for?" Ruby cried.

"Two negatives make a positive," she said. "You're smart, Weiss. Tell me I'm right."

Weiss gave her a pointed look. "Your infallible logic never ceases to amaze me." She hugged Ruby again. "But I suppose you're right. This time."

Yang beckoned Blake over as she hugged Weiss from the back. "Get in here for a group hug. What's a little skinship among friends?" Blake's tentative hands covered Yang's as the weight her body rested on Ruby's. "There you go."

Ruby groaned. "Why did you have to put it like that?" she mumbled into Weiss' shoulder. "You made this weird."

"Hey, we're hugging with clothes on. It's not like we're naked, doing the horizontal tango." Ruby choked.

"Be glad you didn't inherit Yang's stupidity," Weiss said. "Let's hope it's not contagious."

"Say that again and I'll suffocate you with my boobs."

"You three," Blake yelled, exasperated. "Shut up and let me enjoy this." The ensuring arguments were put to rest as they stood there, locked in an embrace. The arm around her neck tightened, and Weiss found herself struggling to breathe. She poked the offending limb until it relaxed its grip.

"How long are we supposed to do this? I feel like my innards are about to claw their way out," Weiss said.

"Five more seconds … and done." Muscled arms released their grip on Weiss and Ruby. "Okay girls. How would you rate that hug?"

"Good enough." Blake's cat ears were pointed at the ceiling, but it was the tender smile directed at them which gave her away. Weiss always thought Blake disliked physical contact. She would politely rebuff anything from handshakes to hugs, even from her own team. It was only recently that the notion was thoroughly disabused. "I'd put it just under staying in with a good book."

Ruby cheered, "That's high praise from Blake." She whipped towards her partner. "How would you rate the hug, Weiss?

"A passing grade," Weiss sniffed. "If someone hadn't shoved us together without warning, I would have given it a solid B." She held up a hand before Yang could rail at the unfairness of her grading. "I am on your side no matter what, Ruby. Loathe I am to leave, I really should be going after Jaune."

The girl thumped her fist on an open palm. "Right. Get out there are get your man back!"

Weiss rolled her eyes and started towards the door. "Hey," Yang called. "Thanks for the advice. Good luck with Jaune." She scratched her metal arm. Yang was either experiencing phantom pains or was deeply embarrassed.

Weiss smirked. "I'm sure you and Blake will be fine."

Blake blinked owlishly. "Huh?"

Weiss leaped out of the door as Yang screeched at the top of her lungs. Leaving the house behind her, she smothered a cackle. She would undoubtedly get her desserts once Yang devised her payback.

Her old self would have dreaded it. Now, she rolled up her imaginary sleeves, eagerly waiting for the next swing. _Should I be worried we're taking our competitiveness a little too far?_ Weiss already had an answer. _Not at all._

Weiss scoured the streets near the house, hoping to glimpse a snatch of blond hair. After twenty minutes of drab and exotic colours, hope had dwindled into an absent worry.

Evening had well and truly crept in, the chill in the air hinting to a frigid night. She watched people scurry around with thick, padded jackets, some even crowding dust-fuelled heaters by the road. It was a stark reminder of how useful Aura could be outside of combat.

Her own outfit invited their share of confused glances. The amount of skin she displayed far exceeded Yang's now, but battle skirts were far too useful to give up.

She circled the areas near his sister's home. He had to be nearby. Jaune had mentioned this was his first time in Argus, and she doubted he would go too far after he'd stomped out. Weiss held on to that thought and continued her search. She wracked her brains, trying to think of a place Jaune would gravitate to in his current state.

 _Not a place with many people, certainly._ Weiss ignored the countless cafes and bars she passed. _Somewhere with food? But he mentioned finishing all his lien, which means shops are also out of the question._ Her mind ground to a halt. _A place without distractions and people. A park._

Weiss raised her head. She stopped at an intersection where a broad, towering signpost stood rooted on the edge of the grey pavement. Invigorated, her gaze travelled across the numerous signs pointed in different directions. She eventually settled on one matching the description of the place she sought.

"Autumn lane memorial park," Weiss said aloud. Her lips tingled as the last word rolled off her tongue, a strange finality settling on her shoulders. "Off we go, then."


	8. Chapter 8: Reforged pt 2

**Reforged pt 2**

* * *

Jaune knew first-hand the feeling of something important crumbling before him. His feet hit the pavement, heard the echoing slam of the door, and was cruelly reminded of how all-encompassing it felt. But the feelings conjured were not identical.

Back then he'd felt nothing except the awkward curl of his legs in the cramped space, and cool metal biting his knees. Followed by weightlessness as the locker launched into the sky.

Now, it was akin to a blossoming alcoholic overdosing for the first time. Jaune clutched his head, overcome by nausea. Anxiety was a leaden weight on his chest and his limbs quaked. All this, wrapped in a perpetual feeling of wanting to vomit. He stoppered his mouth with a deft hand, and collapsed against the mailbox several feet away.

"Things were hopeless from the start," he muttered. "Heh. Were you listening, Pyrrha?"

He pushed himself off the ground and ambled forward. His body swayed as if he stood on the deck of a ship jostled by violent waves. _Am I drunk?_ He wondered. Maybe he was. Qrow could have spilled his drink in the seafood chowder. Or doused the salmon when he thought no one was looking. Or maybe he was dreaming, out cold after one too many celebratory drinks for Team RWBY's safe arrival.

"What do you think of all this?" he asked as he continued down the street. The rush of vehicles on his left urged his body towards the right. "Are you mad? Because you should be. If Ozpin had let you go, Cinder would have missed us. It's not as if he was in mortal danger." Ruby's words streaked through his mind. "Salem can't be killed. She's immortal, like him! If that stupid bastard kept reincarnating, he would have eventually found a way to stop her. Right?"

A bench phased into existence. Someone bashed into his shoulder as he tripped towards it, but he paid it no mind. He hadn't any to spare. He fell on the weathered wood. His hands splayed on the underside of his jaw, reaching his ears. His joints creaked as they lifted his head.

"Why did Ozpin have to choose you?" His arms fell to his sides, limp. His eyes remained fixated on the sky. A flash of light streaked across the canvas of ink. "Of all the people on Remnant. You should have stayed in Mistral. You should have never gone to Beacon."

He sat there for a long time before his pocket hummed to life, itching the skin on his thigh. He waited for it to subside. But it vibrated again. And again. And again. Finally, Jaune fished out the scroll with nerveless fingers. He watched the scroll light up and die, only to repeat itself.

He didn't know how much longer it continued calling for his attention. Eventually, strength returned to his fingers, and he glided them across the guerrilla glass.

The call connected. "Heya," Nora greeted.

Jaune felt nothing. He was listless piece of fabric tossed by winds beyond his control. What was the point? He would just get let down again.

When it became clear he wasn't responding, Nora cleared her throat. "We never talked about Pyrrha after the whole beacon thing. But, I think now would be a good time. Not happy good, because duh, it isn't. More like, it just feels right. So yeah." She giggled uneasily. "Hm… where should I start?"

"The first time you saw her in action?" Ren suggested.

Nora gasped. "Right, how could I forget? Remember our first team attack during initiation? It was the coolest fight I'd ever been in! That was my first time against a deathstalker, by the way. Pyrrha was _awesome_ , and when she shot me into the air, I remember my heart skipping a beat. I was really happy to be on the same team."

When Nora stopped, Ren took over. "Being on the same team as Pyrrha was worrying at first," he said. "She seemed like the perfect warrior."

"Invincible," Nora added.

"Yes, and that was before we knew about her background. Thankfully, my worries were unfounded. We were more alike than I'd thought. Pyrrha loved drinking tea as well. I found it easier to communicate knowing she was a kindred spirit."

Nora groaned. "She wasn't! It's cause you kept offering her a cup when you went through your sleepy time ritual."

"Well, she took them without complaint. Eventually, she informed me she wanted to learn more," Ren answered. "Unsurprisingly, she was a quick study." He sighed wistfully. "I taught her how to brew my special blend, but the first cup she made had me camping in the bathroom for half a day."

"Oh. I remember that. I just thought it was your time of the month at the time." Ren's pointed mumbles didn't carry over the line. He cleared his throat, and continued.

"It turned out that Pyrrha had used the wrong ingredients. She never made a mistake like that again, but recalling it now, I should have checked before I drank." Ren chuckled. "I simply assumed she'd done it right."

"Yeah, she could be such a klutz," Nora said. "I remember one time when she slipped on soap in the girl's bathroom. All the showerheads flew off! She gave a second year a blackeye." The stifled laugher that came across the line made Jaune snort. "After a while, you stop caring that she won four championships and modelled for cereal boxes. Those aren't the only things that made up Pyrrha, you know?"

"…yeah." Jaune rested his chin on his palm.

"Also, remember how she thrashed Team CRDL in that match? She was all slash, block, slash, bang! And whoa, that final uppercut. Professor Goodwitch looked like a goldfish, minus the scales and bubbles."

He remembered Yang and Ruby cheering at the top of their lungs while heckling CRDL without remorse. It had been an extremely satisfying spar to witness. He'd been high on the memory for weeks.

"What about the tournament battle where she blocked the sniper bullet?" Jaune reminded. "It was pretty cool."

"Yeah, it was! I… kind of regret not doing more team attacks." Jaune sobered at the bitterness in her voice. She continued, "It's not your fault, though. None of us were interested in that sorta thing at the time. And sorry, but flower power isn't cool. At all."

"I was inspired by your motifs," Jaune defended. "It made sense!"

"It wasn't _cool_!"

"I think you're getting off track, Nora," Ren said.

"Right, right." Nora cleared her throat again. "I just wanted to tell you I really miss her. Ren and I loved her. She was our best friend, and she wasn't _just_ Pyrrha Nikos the Invincible Girl."

"I miss her too," Jaune's throat throbbed painfully. "I really do."

"She sent you a video, right?" He jerked in surprise. "She sent one to each of us. She looked all frowny in mine, like how you get when you're thinking up tactics and stuff. I think she was really worried when she made them. I dunno about what, though."

"What? I thought I was the only one who…" Jaune ran a hand over his face. "I-I should have told you about it. Or asked. I'm such an idiot, I knew you and Ren were hurting, but I didn't even…" he slammed his fist on the bench.

"What? No!" Nora exclaimed, "We were all busy mourning her. It's not like any of us could have talked about it openly on the way to Haven."

"I'm your leader. I promised myself I'd help you guys, but look how that turned out."

"But you helped. Jaune, you're the one who rallied us! We didn't go with Ruby because of her, we went because of you. Because we're a team, and because Pyrrha's precious to us. You don't need to, um …" Nora grumbled, frustrated. "Ren?"

"The burden isn't only yours to bear," Ren said. "You aren't responsible for our choices. You did what you could. Most importantly, you kept the team together and helped us move forward."

Nora made a noise of agreement. "This situation isn't your fault. And besides, being upset over Ozpin doesn't mean we're helpless."

"Knowing that Pyrrha died because of him, how can we… how can I trust him again?"

"She didn't die because Ozpin lied. Cinder murdered her. I don't know if Salem told her to do it, but I'm gonna find her, and I'm going to break her legs." Nora's solemn promise wrestled a breathless laugh from Jaune. "Even if she has four, six or even ten, I'll break em' all!"

"Even if you don't trust Ozpin, we still got Ruby," Ren reminded. "She isn't going to give up. Not after coming this far."

Jaune chuckled. "She's really something."

"I told them we'd stand by whatever you decide," Nora said. "If you don't want to continue after what Ozpin did, I'll… understand. But even if Salem can't be killed, we can still make her _hurt_."

Jaune laughed freely. He felt like something in his chest had taken flight and left him weightless as a feather.

He wasn't alone. He had a team he loved who loved him in return. The thought send a surge of strength through him, a sensation reminding him of when he first unlocked his aura, but a hundred times more potent. "We'll make Team JNPR legendary," he said with conviction.

"Yeah!" Nora's ecstatic yell burst through the speaker. "Let's get pancakes to celebrate!"

"Maybe later, for dessert. We could find that shop you were talking about."

"What about Oscar? Can he come?" Jaune paused. His fury at the headmaster warred with sympathy for the farm boy, and he was reminded of how he'd frightened Oscar. Jaune patted his cheeks to chase shame seeping into his mind.

"I think I'll leave it up to you, Nora."

"If you say so."

"We should inform Ruby of our decision," Ren interjected. "She'd be happy to know we chose remain by her side. I remember her being very worried after you left."

"Stormed out, you mean?"

Ren chuckled at Jaune's wry tone. "Regardless, I think she'd be delighted."

"Go ahead, we shouldn't put it off. Team RWBY might leave on their epic quest without us."

"They wouldn't leave without saying goodbye," Nora said. "I don't think Weiss would let them. I saw the hug you gave her this afternoon. You two are adorable!" she squealed.

Jaune's eyebrows knitted, partly from embarrassment. The other part was wreaking havoc, and his willpower was dedicated to stop him from grinning like a fool.

Nora continued, "You seem really happy around her. I'm glad you aren't so sad anymore."

"While Weiss might not have been receptive of your feelings in the beginning," Ren tacked on, "I think it's wonderful how they've finally reached her."

Jaune swallowed. The nagging worry he'd kept boxed in the dark corner of his mind leapt to his throat. "Do you guys think I'm moving too fast?" he blurted. "I'm … psyched that she likes me back, but I haven't exactly, um, confirmed what we are to each other."

Simultaneous groans echoed out. "Whaaat? After all that PDA, you two aren't actually dating? Don't play with a maiden's feelings, Jaune!"

"I'm not!" he answered defensively. "I just don't want her to think I'm using her as a replacement."

Nora fell silent. Her even puffs of breath carried through the receiver, Jaune unconsciously matching it with his own. "I don't want to assume… but I think Pyrrha would have wanted you to be happy. If you and Weiss like _like_ each other, I think it's worth a shot."

Jaune deflated with a tired sigh. "Sorry to suddenly put you in a spot like that."

"We're friends. We're supposed to help each other with lovey dovey stuff. Right, Ren?"

"Indeed."

"I really appreciate your help, guys." Jaune looked around. He hadn't realized how dark it had gotten. The row of street lights shone brightly in the darkness, the furthest looking like floating will o' wisps. "I'll see you two back at the house?"

After a chorus of agreements, he cancelled the call. He kept his scroll and leaned back against the bench. He straightened after a minute of fitful silence, looking around.

 _Where the heck am I?_ He spun around to determine his location, finding no recognizable landmarks. The houses lining this lane were smaller and more tightly packed.

He'd wandered into another neighbourhood. Further down the street, warm lights spilled out at regular intervals, framing moving figures like shadow puppets. _I should be able to get directions._

A frigid wind blew. He shut his eyes against the sting as leaves rustled around him. He opened them once it settled, and a single autumn leaf caught his attention. It blew past him and undulated in the air, ducking and weaving around the street lights. His eyes followed it across the road, where it swirled and rippled, tussled by invisible currents.

Unknowingly, he had gotten to his feet and trailed after it. Jaune didn't understand why he'd been compelled to follow. After all, it was a just a leaf. At that thought, he dithered at the mouth of the park, wrestling with indecision.

 _Might be a shortcut back home. Why not?_

Jaune nodded to himself and went.

* * *

Trees swayed and bent to the tide of the wind. His footsteps rang out in the silence. It was unnerving to be alone where not a sliver of life could be observed. The park was completely empty. Even insects had abandoned the place.

One would describe the park as dead. But walking under the shelter lined with moss and vines, blossoming flowerbeds and spotless park benches on either side, Jaune held the impression this was a home whose inhabitants would soon return. Despite the stark absence of noise, it felt like a comforting place to be.

The shelter fell away, and he received the full blow of moonlight as he reached the end of the path. The area was ringed by five identical paths, which likely meant he was in the center of the park. Jaune's lazy stride carried him forward, and he glanced down as asphalt gave way to pebbled tiles.

When he raised his head, his eyes fell upon her statue, and everything stuttered to a halt. The oxygen in his lungs, the blood in his veins, things ceased in the tiny window of shock caused by Pyrrha's visage.

"What the hell?" he laughed, breathless with shock. Pyrrha said nothing. There was an expression of acceptance carved onto her face. He trembled as he circled the statue, taking in every dip and curve of her bronzed likeness. Its only flaw was that it wasn't the girl herself.

He looked down at the plaque pressed into the column of stone beneath her feet. Foreign particles of salt had gathered in his eyes, then launched down the slope of his cheeks.

"Heh, I can't even read a couple of words without crying in front of you," he mumbled. "I'm kind of embarrassed," he wiped his eyes and glared at the offending sleeve. "Oh man, it won't stop. I bet you're having a laugh." Jaune pressed his forearm against his face, snuffling. "Give me a minute. Or ten."

She waited patiently. The blush on his cheeks climbed to his ears, and he pressed both hands onto the smooth stone she perched upon. His eyes were trained on her feet.

"I haven't cried in a long time," he admitted. He pulled back to stand at a distance where he could see her face. They locked eyes and he said, "Hello, again."

Jaune was glad no one was around to see him lose the last of his marbles. But Pyrrha was here. She was here, so close that he could touch her if he'd tried. He knew she would not judge. The things he kept bottled in his heart came rushing to the surface, and he made no effort to stop it.

"I'd be in worse shape if Ren and Nora didn't cheer me up," he said. After a beat, he sat cross-legged in front of her. "You'd be happy to know we managed to get Cinder. At least, Yang said her mom did. But thanks to that, Haven's still standing. We got lucky and ended up beating Emerald and Mercury. Team RWBY's also back together, which is great."

Jaune sighed. _I think some of my brain must have leaked out when I cried._ He glance at her face again, and gathered his nerve to continue. "I miss you. More than you'd ever know. Or maybe you would know," he rubbed his neck. "Thanks for the video. It's been helpful, and training is easier when I hear your voice. I'm not weak anymore, not like I was back then. You helped me be strong."

A ribbon of tension stretched between them. "I … I hope you're doing okay, wherever you are." He gripped the sash around his waist, feeling the gentle caress of the silk. "I love you, and I always will. I'm just sorry I wasn't good enough."

"Pyrrha loved you regardless." Jaune spun around to see Weiss walking towards him. Icy blue eyes were trained on the statue, a resigned smile curving her lips. "You loved her just the way she was, and you couldn't have done it without being yourself."

"Weiss?" Jaune fumbled with his hands. "What are you..?" he stopped himself when she turned to face the statue.

Weiss breathed in. "I admired you, Pyrrha," she said. "You were everything I wanted to be. Still aim for, in fact. Your absence in this world is keenly felt and I truly wished you were here. I still think about that night in the gardens." She paused. "I wished you'd taken my advice. Things might have been different."

Jaune was rooted where he stood, unsure whether to leave. But there was a niggling feeling in his mind that she wanted him to hear this. This thought, combined with morbid curiosity, made him stay.

"I also want to thank you. For saving Jaune," he flinched. "And Ruby. I understand my words are selfish, perhaps even thoughtless. But if you hadn't chose to face Cinder that night, I would have lost two people I treasured. For that, I am grateful." Weiss pressed a hand over her heart. "Truly."

"Weiss–"

Her eyebrows arched. At her stare, he sighed and made the motion to zip his lips. She nodded, appeased.

"I am aware I will never be your match," she continued, eyes resting on Pyrrha's lofty figure. "In our hearts, you have truly become invincible." Weiss sighed. "Jaune will never forget you. My team and yours will always love you, as will I. You are an insurmountable mountain the likes of which I will never be able to surpass."

"Weiss, what are you trying to say?"

"Hush. Let me wallow in my defeat so I can move on." Her eyes glanced between them. "From both of you."

Jaune frowned. "Defeat? But you haven't lost."

Weiss chuckled bitterly. "I appreciate the sentiment, but if you continue coddling me, I might get the wrong idea."

"You told me to listen and now it's your turn," he snapped, realization spreading across his face. "Weiss, I've–"

The clearing of a throat made their heads spring up. Weiss blinked, her face going slack with shock. Jaune sputtered, "Pyrrha!?"

"I've been told we look like sisters," the woman said, her stern features melting somewhat. "But to be mistaken for my daughter is a first. May I ask what is happening here? You two made a loud enough racket I could hear it from the entrance."

"Oh! Um, you see," Jaune floundered under the pair of emerald eyes. "Weiss, do something!" he whispered. She glowered hotly at him and mouthed ' _why me?'_

Jaune matched the look with his panicked one, and she shook her head, taking in a calming breath. "My apologies ma'am, our talk simply became too heated." Weiss forced him forward. "We knew Pyrrha personally. He was her partner, you see."

The woman they identified as Pyrrha's mother went from unamused to overjoyed in the span of a second. "Goodness, this a remarkable coincidence." she said, "You must be Jaune Arc. Pyrrha always talked her friends when she called home. And you are Weiss Schnee, correct?"

"Indeed." Weiss gave her a small curtesy.

"It's nice to finally match faces to the names," the woman said, smiling.

Weiss was struck with a sense of déjà vu while Jaune's anxiousness peaked to new heights. She noted how he looked close to hyperventilating, and discreetly reached over to rub calming circles on his back.

Jaune swallowed as he ran his fingers over the bronze decorations on his armour. "Um, I'm sorry, but I used her armour for my," he gestured at himself. "I'm so sorry, here's her sash–" his trembling hands made to untie the crimson sash around his waist.

"Oh! Don't worry," Pyrrha's mother said. Her voice was reminiscent of her daughter's, soft and lilting like a spool of silk. "We have more than enough memorabilia. I'm very sure she would have wanted you to have it." Her expression of genuine bewilderment made him sigh in relief.

"T-Thank you." He wiped the sweat gathered on his forehead.

"Would you both like to pay your respects?" The woman showed the bouquet in her hands. "Or have you already?"

"We did." Weiss said. "My apologies, we hadn't intended to waste your time."

"Not at all, Miss Schnee. I come here every evening to bring her with flowers." She showed off the bundle in her arms. "She loved being around them. She regularly strolled here when she was still schooling at Sanctum. Ultimately, the citizens thought this was where she deserved to rest, among her many loves."

She approached the statue and lay down the bouquet. Her hands came together, and she basked in the silence as Jaune and Weiss shuffled awkwardly. They remained stiff even after the woman returned. She gave a quiet laugh as she took in their discomfort.

"I wish I could stay longer to chat, but my husband and I have an appointment. Counselors won't take kindly to cancellations. However, you can look for us whenever you'd like. We'd love to hear more about Pyrrha during her time at Beacon."

"Sure thing, ma'am." Jaune replied. He inwardly congratulated himself for answering without stuttering like a hot mess. "Thank you."

"Goodbye for now," her mother said. "Take good care of each other. You both make an adorable couple."

"Actually," Weiss started. "We aren't–"

"We will." Jaune waved back as his other arm slid around her waist to pull her close. When the woman was out of sight, Weiss forcibly tried to pry herself from his grasp. He looked at her, eyebrows arched.

"You lied to her," Weiss accused. She found her resolve weakening in his hold, but reminded herself of Jaune's earlier confession. "We aren't an item."

"I want us to be."

Weiss stopped cold. "… but you love Pyrrha. Did you not say so earlier?"

"You didn't let me finish," he said. "I do love her. But I've also got enough in me to love you." His arm trembled. "If you would have me."

She locked eyes with him, searching for any hint of a lie. That he might have been unsure, perhaps trying to bury his fruitless feelings for his partner.

Jaune kept his gaze steady. He had nothing to hide. What he'd spoken was the truth and nothing but. One love could not be sacrificed for the other. Pyrrha would never be forgotten, but Weiss was his future. He understood that clearly, now.

"I'm not her," Weiss said. "I will never be."

"I know."

"I'm not a heiress. I have no fortune, no assets, only my weapon. I am no longer a Schnee, though I still bear the name."

Jaune smiled. "You're Weiss. That's pretty much all I need."

"You dunce... I hope you know you're getting into." She relaxed into him, her hand linking with his. He tilted her head up and kissed her, the taste of salt mingling between their lips. Her love was no longer his lifeline or saving grace, but the surety of new thread poised to create a fresh start.

They drew apart, and Jaune laughed at the satisfied look on her face. "I wonder if I should put this in my letter," he said.

"Letter?"

"I'll explain later," he told her. "We should get back soon. Everyone's probably worried."

They turned back. Pyrrha Nikos stood tall and indomitable, silvery light bouncing off her squared shoulders. The statue represented a beacon of hope, but also a thankless reward for a hero who gave everything and lost in equal measure.

"You made a difference," Weiss said. "I hope you're resting well, wherever you may be."

They moulded proper farewells in their hearts, each whispering a silent thanks for their fallen friend, lover, comrade. The knotted thread between them came undone as Pyrrha cast her gaze upon them. The Goddess of Victory spoke no words. She did not have to. Those who held her in their hearts would speak them for her.

Years later, a tiny girl with blond hair and blue eyes would arrive, and she would be the first to point out how the corners of the statue's mouth curved upwards in a satisfied smile.

It was a day in the distant future. But until then, the years ahead of them were long, and Pyrrha pledged to continue watching over them.


	9. Chapter 9: Epilogue

**Epilogue**

* * *

The devastation wrought on Beacon Academy had not been forgotten, but the strides taken by Vale citizens were nonetheless commendable. Much of this could be traced back to professors who rallied the students that stayed behind. Downtrodden men and women need only lay eyes on the tenacious and resourceful youths to invigorate their spirits.

Lessons were occasionally conducted in the temporary huntsman base set up in the commercial district, another demonstration of resilience by staff and students. Those were few and far between amidst the rebuilding and recovery, but it was a welcome distraction, homage to better days.

From the commercial district, a long stretch of highway spanned the distance between it and a small town on the outskirts. The houses in this area were old, hailing to a glorious time in history where a tenuous peace had just been struck.

The Arc Family home skirted the cliffs near this town. A tranquil place, now that all of their eight children had grown.

"Honey?"

Grayson Arc lifted his goggles as his wife came bustling into the workshop. "Be careful," he said, "I could have been using the laser cutter. What if my hand slipped and shaved you bald?"

"Please, you never use it this early," she replied with a careless wave. She set down a pile of letters.

"You came here to tell me we got letters?"

"Without the CCT, this is our only line of communication to the rest of Remnant. You should be more excited."

He lazily sorted through the mail with gloved hands, squinting at the bold lettering. "The Council took the time to remind us that our utilities are due. How exciting. Oh, and look. A warning from the Hunters Association that Grimm could invade the city at any time."

Joanna Arc sighed as she watched her husband. "You big oaf," she said. "You missed the one on top. It's from Jaune." Her smile turned smug when he grimaced. "I knew it. You need glasses."

"It's not my fault his handwriting is tiny," he defended.

"Stop being so stubborn." She leaned over the workbench and pecked him on the cheek. "Save the excuses. It's time for lunch. You can open them later, when you're less cranky."

Grayson Arc watched his wife gather the pile of letters and swagger away. He rolled his eyes. "I don't need glasses," he muttered.

He picked up the short sword he'd been polishing on the grinder and hung it on the wall. Picking up the rag on his shoulder, he flung it into the basket on the opposite end of the workshop. It landed in the basket with a soft _whump_. "Bad eyesight my foot."

He left without a backwards glance, unaware the towel had fallen behind the shelf. It was never seen again.

* * *

It was customary for a pot of tea to be shared after food. As Joanna busied herself with the dishes, waiting for the brew, he slit open the envelope with the swiss knife he carried on hand. Steady fingers picked out the folded piece of paper nestled inside.

Grayson flipped the parchment, gazing at the front and back. It was smaller than he'd predicted, and when he finally unfolded it, he was shocked by the wall of cursive writing. He frowned. The handwriting on the envelop had been Jaune's, but this was penned in a stranger's hand. He shook his head and began to read.

' _Introductions are in order. I am Weiss Schnee, fellow teammate to your son, Jaune Arc. He has informed me that you wish to hear about his journey, spanning from the island of Patch to Haven, and now Argus._

 _Allow me to keep things short. Our time is precious and as I write, we are amidst gathering supplies for our next destination. We have decided not to include its name in fear it may be used against us._

 _Our journey has brought forth countless hardships. As you may be aware, the most devastating remains the loss of Jaune's partner, Pyrrha Nikos. She was dear friend to us, and she loved him with her very soul itself. You may see my words as exaggeration, but her heroism is the reason I am able to stand beside him today._

 _Pyrrha was the first to see past his faults, when, in the beginning, all I saw was an overconfident loon. This is no thanks in part to the ridiculous wisdom you imparted on him. I am not the paragon of virtue nor will I pretend to be, and my parents are no more flawed than the rest of Remnant, but allow me to be frank. Your teaching methods are questionable._

 _Jaune has changed greatly since our first meeting. He has many friends willing to testify to this, like I have with this letter. Be rest assured that I will take care of him. I take my duties very seriously, and I have no qualms he will do the same for me._

 _He might not have been the son you wished for, but he has become the man he was meant to be. You have Pyrrha to thank for that._

 _Sincerest Regards,_

 _Weiss Schnee_

Joanna entered the dining room to see her husband staring blankly at their son's letter. She set down the steaming pot, walking to his side. "What did Jaune say?"

Grayson's head fell back. "He's got himself a feisty one."

Joanna quirked her head in confusion. It a long time since she'd last seen him in such a state, concussed by new discoveries. Violetta's career shift. Saphron's marriage. Jaune's acceptance into Beacon.

Her older daughters had once pointed out Joanna's unflappable nature was a large contrast to their father's flighty moods.

Joanna thought those words accurate. Grayson was a fine husband. But as a father, prone to poor displays of affection and strange teaching methods that left her foaming at the mouth. His eccentric grandfather took credit for that.

Her daughters had taken his teachings in stride, often with the technique of in one ear and out the other. Her son was a different story, sensitive to a fault during his younger years. Grayson had taken upon himself to mould him into a 'strapping lad' capable of leading the family, ignoring that the Arcs had fallen out of the old ways after the Great War.

Joanna's private opinion was that Jaune would be better off left to her. Alas, seven daughters had kept her plate full. Jaune had grown well, but it was clear he wasn't as settled as his sisters.

Joanna had given Grayson a stern talking to after Jaune ran off to try his hand at becoming a Hunter, despite the lack of combat experience, and most glaringly, lack of common sense.

"Sugar?" she asked.

"Five spoons." Grayson massaged his temples. "I need a pick me up after reading that." His chair dragged across the floor as he stood. "Where's the duster? I'll be back once it's cooled."

"That letter must have been something," Joanna commented, a curious glint to her eyes. "Let me read it?"

"Suit yourself."

Grayson left the room, making towards Jaune's with feather duster in hand. He nudged the door wide and walked past the sheet covered bed. The shelf was tall and wide, taking up a lengthy chunk of the room. The bottom half was stuffed with comics, some still in original wrapping. His level gaze rose to meet the rows upon rows of pristine cardboard boxes.

Grayson knew who she was. Who didn't?

He lightly dusted the cereal boxes Jaune had painstakingly collected, noting the similarities and differences between them. Seasonal boxes, special editions with knick knacks, one even promising a lint autograph card from the champion herself. This cereal had been Jaune's vice. His son's sweet tooth was undoubtedly from his mother.

"I can't believe I'm actually about to do this," he muttered. Grayson paused, duster clenched in one hand while the other reached out to adjust the slanted box. Pyrrha Nikos wore a winning smile, chin rested on steepled fingers. "Thank you," he said. "For helping my son."

His cheeks burned. He couldn't believe he'd actually taken the letter seriously. For a moment, he stood there, paralysed by embarrassment. "At least Jo isn't here to see this," he told himself.

"GRAY!" His wife's delighted scream echoed. "OUR SON HAS A GIRLFRIEND!?"

"Right," he groaned. "The letter."

His wife was going to frame the impudent thing and hang it in the living room until time immemorial. Grayson was never going to live this down.

 **THE END**

* * *

 **AN** :

Well. I never thought I'd see the day. Given my track record of my older stories (sorry, lmao) I'm surprised I finally finished this. There's going to be a explanation of how this story came about below (spoiler: it's long and boring, possibly offensive) so I'll get to the super important stuff first.

I'm very happy with all the feedback I got for the story. I hope the ending was satisfying, it was really hard to write a conclusion and I didn't want to mess it up. I may not be the greatest at taking criticisms, I'm pretty hot headed lol, but I'm glad people read this story and want it to be better.

Thank you all for taking the time to read it! :D

* * *

 **What Inspired the Story**

The concept and title 'Tangled' came from a brilliant manga called _Kingdom_. More precisely, it was one of the arcs where the King's rival, Ryofui was finally beaten. Long story short, Ryofui made an offhand comment about how the kingdom of Qin was only able to move forward after the utter mess of a relationship between him, the king's wife, and the previous king, had been finally put to rest.

' _Like a knot so deeply entangled that it has become impossible to pull us apart_.' At this point, I only had the first chapter written. But then as I reread the manga, my brain basically exploded and that was how this story was born. It's kinda dumb, but whatever kek.

I recommend you read _Kingdom_ , because the character progression, art and story is one of the most amazing things I have ever read. Or don't, because you're a rebel. Jk, please read it.

 **Why I wrote Tangled**

Long time readers of my fics probably read the rants on my profile at sometime or the other these past two years. It's mostly about how disillusioned I was with RWBY, as a show. I started writing for this fandom 5 years ago. Back then, literally nothing could persuade me that this show wasn't the greatest freaking thing ever invented. Cool girls, weapons and monsters?! Fuck yes.

But then Vol 4 came. I really didn't like it. It was a combination of story/animation changes/lettergate. I went from loving it to hating it so fast my heart couldn't keep up. But the show got insanely popular, and I was left wondering if it was my fault for not liking it. Sounds dumb, I know. But I haven't been alive for very long, and I literally spent 1/4 of my life with the show, so get off mah dick!

Anyway, it's not a popular opinion that the show isn't written well. But after watching Vol 6, it was clearer to me than ever. Don't get me wrong, I liked Vol 6. It was good. But when you've read a literal sea of fanfics that deal with AU's, rewritten canon, and an awesome visual novel ( **Summer Rose Court** \- go play it) good becomes mediocre.

But that's just me. RWBY has impacted more people than I'd ever know. If you like it, that's great. Please continue! It has spawned an awesome, creative community, and though RT has in my opinion, has made questionable business/creative decisions, I can't deny the joy this show has brought to people. I think I've just gotten to a point where I can't be content with what it's offering, and find myself unable to overlook the show's flaws.

 _Tangled_ came about in my last ditch effort to prove to myself: Yes, I'm not a terrible writer. Yes, I will always have a soft spot for the show. And I'm happy to say I'm glad at the results. This writing thing ain't so bad, after all.

Five years ago, it was the best decision of my life to watch RWBY. Five years later, stepping away from this show will be the best thing I ever did. It's not like I'll stop writing RWBY forever. But my enthusiasm for the show just isn't the same.

Anyway, ramble over. Have a good one guys!


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